Newsletter Term 2 Week 3

Dear Families

I trusted you have enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect with your child’s class teacher and to have a discussion around your child’s progress.  I also hope that our increased efforts around continuous reporting has been helpful in monitoring your child’s progress from week to week.  These two areas will be very important as we move towards the new CESA Semester 1 Report, as you know this will be a much slimmed down report from what our School has been using.  To complement the Semester 1 report, each year level will be providing a learning summary, for each of the curriculum areas, in this way you will be able to connect the report grade to what your child has been learning.

The semester 1 reports will be email to both parents on Tuesday July 4^th.  This will be followed by another opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher in the second week of term 3.  You should not feel compelled to attend this meeting, it is really for those parents who wish to follow up and ask questions around the semester 1 report.

Personalised Plans for Learning (PPLs)

At the parent/teacher interviews, parents of students with PPLs, had an opportunity for a discussion around the document.  The discussion may lead to some changes in the document, as we move towards maximising learning opportunities.  Thank you for engaging in the process and many thanks to the teachers who have spent many hours capturing the learning of their students.  The next formal step is the signing of the PPL, recognising that we have worked collaboratively on this document.  This will be sent via email on June 6^th, with a request for a signature to be returned by June 20^th.

Matt Perry Farewell

As you would be aware Matt has won the substantive position of Principal at Christ the King, Warradale.  On Wednesday June 7^th, our whole school assembly will be to farewell Matt from our school.  All parents are invited to attend the assembly which will start at 2pm in the church, to be followed by afternoon tea in the hall from 2:30pm.

School Board AGM

As you know we are running our Annual General Meeting on…

Monday May 22nd – 7pm in the Stella Maris Room

We invite all parents/caregivers to attend the evening.  If you have any questions that you would like to ask on the night, I invite you to email them to me at dweeks@star.catholic.edu.au so that we can provide a informed answer.

We still have one vacancy on the Board for the 2023/2024 year.  If you are interested, please returned the nomination form in this newsletter.

Building works – footpath work

As part of the works our water meter is going to be relocated on the 15^th or 16^th of June.  With this, there will be works happening at the front of the school on Military Road. SA water will have their own traffic management/pedestrian access in place.  There will only be minor interruptions to our School water supply on the day.

Regards
Damian Weeks

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome to Week 3!

Walk Safely to School: Friday 19^th May

We look forward to our families joining us for our ‘walking buses’ this Friday morning. We will have three ‘walk to school’ buses leaving from three different locations.

The first bus will be driven by Damian Weeks and will leave from the Grange Kiosk. The second bus will leave from Henley High (corner of Henley Beach Rd and Cudmore Terrace) and be driven by Kelly Manera. This bus will travel to school via East Terrace and then Crewe Street. The third bus will be driven by Kristen Victory and will leave from St Michael’s College meeting on (Mitton Ave), then along Lawrie St and then to school via Marlborough Street.  

All buses will leave their respective starting points at 8:00am and should arrive at school by 8.30am. Upon arrival at school, students will be provided with a Milo drink and piece of fruit. A big thanks to Dee for organising the warm drinks and to Foodland Henley Beach who have kindly donated the fruit.

We hope you can join us!

Year Level Assemblies

You will note in our term calendar(found on AUDIRI under event tab) that year level assemblies will resume this term. This is a wonderful way to gather and celebrate the learning occurring in each of our cohorts. We welcome families to join the classes for these gatherings. In addition, we will host our whole school assembly on Wednesday 7^th June at 2:00pm in the Church. At this assembly we will also get the chance to farewell Matthew Perry, our former Deputy Principal. You are all welcome to attend.

Child Safety Information and Guidelines

As you are aware, the safety and wellbeing of every student at Star of the Sea is our priority. All staff, volunteers and allied health providers are required to complete a Working with Children Screening. Our induction procedures ensure that all persons coming onto the school

grounds have the required Child Protection documentation. In addition, as part of our Health Curriculum, our students are taught the Keeping Safe – Child Protection Curriculum which aims to help children develop ways to protect themselves and keep themselves safe.

The links below provide further information for your perusal.

Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy (Archdiocese of Adelaide)

Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum information for Parents and Carers

Catholic Schools Parents SA – Parent Engagement Session: Resilience with Gill Hicks 

Last year I was fortunate enough to listen to Gill Hicks share her story as part of the South Australian of the Year Awards event. Her story is remarkable and inspiring! You are invited to attend a free parent information session organised by the Catholic Schools Parents SA. In this presentation, Gill will speak about her story of survival from the London terrorist bombings in 2005 where she suffered severe and permanent injuries, losing both legs from just below the knee. Gill, a fellow South Australian, is a well-respected author, musician, award winning artist and performer. The event is being held on 30 May at 6:30pm at 8:00pm at the Loreto College Performing Arts Centre, 316 Portrush Road, Marryatville, South Australia. The event will be limited to 300 in person with an online live streaming option.

To register: https://registrationcentre.cesa.catholic.edu.au/event-5247928 

I anticipate it will be an outstanding presentation.

Enjoy your weekend ahead!

Go well,

Kelly Manera

Acting Deputy Principal

Family Mass at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish 

On the 3rd Sunday of every month at 9:30am, a Family Mass is held at the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish. This is a great opportunity for the children and their families to be actively involved in the Parish Community. 

Each month a different Year level has been rostered on to participate in the Mass and volunteer to take on an active role.

This coming Sunday, our Year 6 families are volunteering with some of the readings.

Our next Children’s Mass will be on Sunday 18th June, where our Year 3 families will be invited to join us.

We look forward to continuing our strong connection with our Parish.

Winter Dignity Drive

The Henley Beach Parish Social Justice Group are running their annual Winter Dignity Drive. As a school community we are committed to supporting these initiatives which reach out and help those in need.

We are asking each year level to donate specific items which are desperately needed to assist both Catherine House and Hutt Street Centre.

Reception Families: Face cleansing wipes/ face moisturiser / elastic hair ties

• Year 1 Families: Adult female socks
• Year 2 Families: Adult female rubber thongs / scuffs
• Year 3 Families: washing powder / liquid
• Year 4 Families: instant noodles / 2 minute noodles
• Year 5 Families: packets or cans of soup
• Year 6 Families: canned baked beans and/ or spaghetti

Donations can come in any time from now until the end of term.

As a way of saying thanks for all your generous donations, On Friday 30th June, we will have a “Fluffy Friday”. All students are welcomed to wear a scarf/ beanie /pj’s /tracksuit /fluffy socks / slippers etc, to remind us of how grateful we are to have warm, comfy clothes to wear during these cold winter months. This will also conclude our Winter Dignity Drive.

We thank you in advance, for your generous donations and for supporting those in our community who are less fortunate than us.

With Gratitude,

Domenique Laurendi
APRIM