Term 4 Week 6 Newsletter 2024

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

Advent 

While the media encourage us to focus on the lead up to Christmas as a commercial proposition, there is a deeper meaning for us as a Catholic School. Advent reminds Christians to remember and prepare for the birth of Jesus and we emphasize the message of humility, love and ultimately salvation. In the Catholic Church, on each of the four Sundays preceding Christmas, an Advent candle is lit. The four candles of Advent (hope, love, joy and peace) represent the virtues Jesus brought us. Virtues that continue to be important today. 

2025 Leadership Structure 

In 2025, our current leadership team will be: 

• Carla Thomas: Acting APRIM, Leader of Learning 3-6, Leader of Ecology Programs 
• Narelle Brine: Leader of Learning Curriculum and Assessment R-2 
• Bianca Foote: Leader of Learning - Wellbeing and Inclusion 

Together with myself as Acting Principal and Carla as Assistant Principal, the team will play an important role in ensuring quality outcomes for all St Catherine's students and their families. 

2025 Class Placements 

We are currently in the process of establishing class groupings for next year. This is a complex process where staff take into account a range of considerations including; the number of students in each year level, student sociogram information (student feedback), academic and social emotional learning needs, gender balance, siblings, relatives and so on. I can assure you that staff have been spending considerable time determining class placements. Thank you for trusting the staff to make the best decision for your child. This information will be distributed with your child's report at the end of the year. 

I can share that our class structure for 2025 is:  

• Reception 
• Reception 
• Year 1/2 
• Year 1/2 
• Year 3/4 
• Year 3/4 
• Year 5  
• Year 6 

I am delighted with this structure as it provides benefits to all students. On the one hand, it allows for a unique experience for our students in Reception, Yr.5 and Yr.6. It also enables students in other year levels to work closely in their respective 'neighbourhoods' and staff to work collaboratively to ensure the best learning outcomes for every student.

2025 Reception Students have 2 Transition Visits coming up. Visit 1: 9-11am on Wednesday 27th November (with Parent information Session) and Visit 2: 9-11am on Wednesday 4th December. Other years students will will have an opportunity to meet their new teacher and classmates on Monday 9th December 2024.

Semester 2 Student Reports 

Over the next few weeks, teachers are finalising assessments and creating Semester 2 achievement reports. These reports are a summary of each child's achievement in each learning area over the last two terms and will be available on SEQTA Engage on Monday 9th December 2024.

Christmas Concert - Wednesday 4th December 5.00-7.30pm 

Preparations are well underway for our end of year Christmas concert where all classes will take to the stage to showcase their learning, courage and talent, sharing the Nativity story through song and dance. Join us for a Picnic Box (preorder on Qkr by Friday November 29) and/or BYO picnic from 5.00pm. 

We look forward to seeing you there. 

Regards,

Mark

  Kitchen Garden - produce garden, planting leading into advent 

In our kitchen garden, students are embodying the spirit of Laudato Si’ and preparing their hearts for Advent through the care they show for creation. As they plant, water, and harvest, they’re learning that tending to the earth is an act of reverence, a way of preparing for the coming of Christ by nurturing the gifts of God's creation. Each task in the garden reminds them of the patience and care needed not only for plants to grow but also for our own spiritual growth during this season of anticipation. 

Caring for the chickens adds another meaningful layer, as students take turns feeding, cleaning, and gathering eggs, recognising the value of each living creature. This season, as we await the joy of Christmas, our students are learning that small acts of stewardship and compassion—whether for the earth, animals, or one another—reflect the Advent spirit of hope, preparation, and renewal. Through these experiences, our young gardeners are embracing their roles as caretakers of our common home and preparing their hearts to welcome Christ with respect, gratitude and love. 

A Message from our Eco Leaders 

Our Eco Leaders have been closely monitoring bin usage around the school and have noticed that some reteaching is needed to help us all do better! They've observed items being placed in the wrong bins, leading to waste and recycling issues. With great commitment, our Eco Leaders have been sorting through misplaced items and working to ensure each bin is used correctly. Their efforts remind us of the importance of keeping our school environment clean and sustainable. Let's all support their work by being mindful of what we put into each bin—every little action counts! 

Harper Year 3 

Christmas Nativity at St Matthew's Parish

As we approach the joyous Christmas season, we have a lovely opportunity to support the celebrations at St Matthew’s Parish. The Hills Parish community are inviting children, families and staff to participate in the Christmas Vigil Mass and Nativity play on December 24th. 

Getting involved in the Parish festivities is a rich and meaningful way for children and families to connect with their faith and the community. We understand that this is a busy time, and any assistance would be greatly appreciated. 

A huge thank you to those families that have already responded. 

If you’re interested in participating or would like to explore how you can get involved, please don’t hesitate to contact me cthomas@stcaths.catholic.edu.au  or Cathie Oswald: catherine@adelaidehillsparish.com   

Children's University 

We are delighted to celebrate the achievements of 11 of our exceptional students from Years 3 to 5 who have successfully graduated from the Children's University program this year! This milestone reflects their dedication to learning beyond the classroom and their enthusiasm for discovering new skills, knowledge, and experiences. 

Throughout the program, our students engaged in a wide range of activities and community service programs, with each hour spent contributing to their personal growth and development. Their commitment to taking on new learning opportunities and curiosity about the world around them are truly inspiring. 

Congratulations to Hugo, Matisse, Alexia, James, Mary, Lina, Max, Toby, Gus, Mackenzie and Poppy! We are incredibly proud of your accomplishments and excited to see where your love for learning will take you next. 

YELP Expo 

It was an exciting day for 8 St Catherine's students at the final YELP Expo on Thursday!  The students showcased their hard work this year in planning and constructing bird boxes for the forest area, helping to preserve the local Kookaburra population. It was also rewarding listening to other schools, and to gain inspiration and new ideas from the impactful projects they shared. 

Students also enjoyed a pizza lunch, and had the opportunity to engage in Kaurna cultural learning, experiencing traditional games, and learning about traditional ceremonial practices and the use of tools. These experiences helped deepen the students' understanding of respecting the land and the gifts it provides.   

It was a truly wonderful celebration of a fantastic year of learning with Jeremy from Green Adelaide! 

St Vinnies 2/3F Liturgy celebration - A Season of Giving 

This week, Ms Foote's Year 2 and Year 3 students led a beautiful liturgical celebration to launch our school’s St Vincent de Paul Christmas Hampers initiative. With heartfelt readings, prayers, and songs, the students reminded us of the true meaning of Advent and the importance of helping those in need during this special season. 

During this celebration, our school captains raised awareness for our Christmas Hampers initiative:  

At St Catherines, we try our best to provide ministry/service to the wider community. The reason we are doing Christmas hampers is to support St Vincent De Paul society, to raise awareness to people who are struggling in poverty and to help them have a Christmas of a lifetime.   

You can help to support by donating non-perishable food items such as:  

• Canned foods  
• Packaged foods  
• Jared foods  
• Christmas foods  
• Long-life milk  
• Hygiene products  

You can find the hamper buckets outside the front office and all throughout our classrooms until Friday the 6th of December.  

Xavier and Jack 

We are grateful to our young leaders for their inspiring example and to all who help share the gift of love, kindness, and compassion that this season represents. Together, let’s make Christmas brighter for families in our community! 

Carla Thomas 
Acting Assistant Principal, Religious Identity and Mission 
cthomas@stcaths.catholic.edu.au 

We have had a wonderful Term 4 so far, particularly enjoying the musical, Pirates of Penzance. Well done to all the students in Year 5/6! The students have also been involved in other extra-curricular activities such as SACPSSA Athletics Carnival, Little Nook visits, Remembrance Day services, and YELP.

In Science this term, we are learning about states of matter and how changes are reversible and/or irreversible. We have conducted a range of experiments to learn first-hand how these reactions occur. In HASS we are developing our understanding of how resources satisfy needs and wants, exploring influences on consumer choices, and developing strategies to make informed personal and consumer financial choices.

In a few weeks we will be celebrating our Year 6s at the End-of-Year Mass, Graduation Assembly and Graduation Dinner. The students are working on some artwork to display as well as speeches for the evening. Our Year 5s are preparing for their final year as leaders in 2025. We are beginning to look at leadership qualities and skills to prepare for school captain application writing.

Tread Lightly

Thank you to everyone for continuing to donate your old shoes to Tread Lightly. It is so great to be able to reduce the amount that go to landfill and clean out our cupboards. I took another load to Rebel Sport at Mile End over the weekend, and I plan to do one more drop off this year, so please donate your shoes before the end of Week 8. I’m sure the 2025 Year 6s will continue this amazing initiative in their Dominican Leadership next year.

A reminder to please check the list for which shoes they accept:

Laura O'Connell

A big Congratulations to the 37 students that competed in the annual SACPSSA Athletics Carnival this year on Monday 4th November at SA Athletics Stadium, Mile End. The school finished first overall on the day in the section 5 division winning the shield for the first time and also winning several overall pennants on the day.

Our school won pennants for several age groups, achieving the most points for their age group and gender. The pennant winners were:

• Year 4 Boys
• Year 3 Girls
• Year 3 Boys

Champions pennant for year 5 boys.

Special mention to Poppy in Year 3 who won the overall age champion medal after finishing 1st in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 3rd in the Baton Relay.

A big thank you to Mr Butler, Mrs Williams and Karina Sharp for their assistance at the Carnival.

Some commendable results on the day included:

• Poppy Year 3 – 1st - 100m, 1st -200m, 1st 400m, 3rd -Baton Relay
• Remy Year 3 – 1st -100m, 1st -200m, 1st – Baton Relay
• Darcy Year 3 – 1st - 800m, 3rd - 100m, 1st – Baton Relay
• Van Year 4 – 1st High Jump, 1st – 100m 2nd – 200m- 1st -Baton Relay
• Lina Year 4 – 4th – Long Jump
• Walter Year 3 – 1st – 100m, 1st – 200m, 3rd- 400m, 1st – Baton Relay
• Harper Year 4 – 1st – Shot Put, 2nd 200m, 2nd – 400m, 3rd Baton Relay,
• Chloe Year 4 – 2nd – 200m, 3rd - Baton Relay
• Mia Year 5 - 1st Shot Put
• Kiyan Year 5 – 3rd 100m, 2nd – 200m, 1st – Baton Relay
• Toni-Marie Year 3 – 1st Shot Put, 2nd – 200m, 3rd - Relay
• Charlie Year 5 - 1st 100m, 2nd- 200m, 3rd Hurdles, 1st – Baton Relay
• Joseph Year 5 – 2nd 200m, 1st Baton Relay
• Liam Year 3 – 1st Long jump, 3rd Baton Relay
• Aston Year 5 - 2nd Long Jump, 2nd – 400m, 1st Baton Relay
• Sylvie Year 6 – 3rd – 400m
• Xanthe Year 6 – 2nd – High Jump, 4th Hurdles
• Toby Year 3 – 3rd – Shot Put
• Mary Year 4 – 3rd – Baton Relay
• Ella Year 3 – 3rd – Baton Relay
• Quinn Year 3 – 2nd High Jump, 3rd – Baton Relay

Mr De Giovanniello

Book Fair 

We are very excited to share that our recent Book Fair was our most successful Book Fair ever! Thank you to families, especially our grandparents who contributed to this event.  

The Book Fair not only ignited a passion for reading among our students but also raised vital funds to enrich our school's resources. Through your generosity and participation, we have surpassed our goals and made a significant contribution towards enhancing educational opportunities for our students. 

Premiers Reading Challenge 

A big congratulations to all the students who successfully completed the Premier’s Reading Challenge this year! We had an impressive number of students complete the challenge, which is a fantastic achievement. A special shout-out to our senior students who earned the Legend and Hall of Fame medals. Thank you to families, class teachers, and Mrs Cathy Fischle for helping our students discover enjoyable, engaging, and age-appropriate reading material. 

Kind Regards,  

Narelle Brine and Carla Thomas 
Leaders of Learning – Curriculum and Assessment

 Why Teach Self-Regulation? 

Regulation is something everyone continually works on whether we are aware of it or not. We all encounter trying circumstances that can test our limits. If we can recognize when we are becoming less regulated, we are able to do something about it to manage our feelings and get ourselves to a healthy place. This comes more naturally for some, but for others it is a skill that needs more attention and practice. This is the goal of The Zones of Regulation . 

Sorting Our Emotions Into Four Zones 

Feelings are complicated. They come in different sizes, intensities, and levels of energy that are unique within our brains and bodies. To make them easier to talk about, think about, and regulate, The Zones of Regulation organizes our feelings, states of alertness, and energy levels into four colored Zones – Blue, Green, Yellow, and Red. The simple, common language and visual structure of The Zones of Regulation helps make the complex skill of regulation more concrete for learners and those who support them. We learn to regulate our Zones to meet our goals and task demands, as well as support our overall well-being. 

The Zones of Regulation Intervention groups have been extremely successful in supporting students to regulate their emotions. Now we have created a school wide resource to support the understanding of The Zones of Regulation in each classroom space. The check in resource enables students to identify what zones they are in and what strategies they can use to come back to the green zone. 

Ask your child about the zones today! 

Bianca Foote
Leader of Learning – Wellbeing and Inclusion