Newsletter Term 2 Week 7

Dear Parents and Friends,

Last Wednesday you will have received a letter from Dr Neil McGoran informing the school community of the appointment of Mr Damian Weeks as the Principal of Star of the Sea commencing Term 3. I have known Damian for many years, and I welcome his appointment. Damian is an experienced leader in Catholic Education SA and is currently Principal of Rosary School, Prospect where he has been an influential leader for the past 10 years. Damian is well respected in the Catholic School system and I know he is passionate about teaching and learning, and building community is important to him. Rest assured Star of the Sea will be in good hands! My only regret is that he is a Crows supporter.

Damian has been in and around the school several times since his appointment and you will most likely see us walking around the school in the weeks ahead. I know you will make him feel welcome and give him your support and assistance as he settles into the school next term.

It is not an easy task entering a school community as a new leader halfway through a year. I know this feeling as I have done it several times in my career. So here are my top three tips to you as parents as you welcome Damian and get to know him.

• First, be kind. He is new and he may need an adjustment period. There will be changes and you will be watching to see how he is going to run things. Please give him space and latitude as he gets to know our children and you. Allow him to figure out the dynamics of Star of the Sea School. There are many powerful things about SOTS, and he will need time to get to know how things operate.
• Second, allow him to find his way.  Damian will have his vision for Star of the Sea, and he will share it with you, I know him as someone who has convictions.  With time Damian will fit in beautifully with the community and in time he will call Star of the Sea home.  
• Third, I know Damian will make it about the children and he is eager to learn their names.  Damian has said he wants to get to know them and he has already made himself visible, having visited classrooms twice since his appointment. It is important he has time with the kids and staff before he spends time with you as parents. Be patient.

These last few weeks have been somewhat strange as the reality of my departure sinks in. I have been cleaning out my office, it is astonishing what one accumulates over 43 years of teaching. So, it has been a very different feeling as I have been throwing things away knowing I will never have the need to use them again.

Please know that in the weeks ahead, Star of the Sea School continues to have my commitment, energy and care. It is good to now know who will be taking over the reins and I will be helping Damian as much as I can to ensure he has a great start.

First Semester Reports
The teachers have been very busy writing their learning summaries for the first semester. The reports will be sent home on Thursday 2nd July. As always, I encourage parents to read the report with their children and to take time to highlight and encourage those areas of growth and successful learning. It is also important to discuss those areas that need further development and to set goals for Term 3 and 4. Please speak with your child’s teacher should you need clarification or additional information. There will be another opportunity for interviews in Term 3.

Staff News
This week is Jess Maresca’s last week as she heads off to prepare for the birth of her second child. It is with heartfelt gladness that we wish Jess, Matt and Esther much love and joy on the safe arrival of their new baby. I know the Year 1DM class will be waiting expectantly for the news in coming weeks.

We would also like to welcome Alexandra Curtis to the Out of School Hours team. Alexandra has been employed as the Assistant OSHC Director and will be helping Laura Artis with the operation of OSHC and Vac Care. Warm wishes and welcome on-board Alexandra.

Vacation Care Filling Fast
As always, our Vacation Care is very popular. As you may be aware, we are obliged to open our Vacation Care to all in the local community. Consequently, our Vac Care fills very quickly, and numbers are very tight. Please book a place urgently if you need this service during the holidays.

School Concludes on Friday 3^rd July
This will be a full day at school. School resumes for Term 3 on Tuesday 21st July. Monday will be a pupil free day when the staff will be attending their annual retreat day at the Josephite Centre, Kensington. Vacation Care will be available for families needing the service.

Enjoy the weekend ahead! The football is back – Go Power!
Joe De Tullio

The mornings have been cold and driving through the fog the other morning on the way to work was a very interesting experience. Usually, it is almost automatic that I drive to work, home again in the afternoon and drive to other familiar places. Driving through the fog, however, my awareness of other road users was very much heightened, especially everything the car in front of me was doing. There are many things in life that we do automatically, that we have learnt to do over a period of time and these have come about, usually, because we have invested time, energy  and a great deal of practice in training ourselves, our brains, to be proficient at whatever task it is. Usually, we must start with small steps, getting the basics right before we move on and perfect more advanced skills and tasks. I’m sure you can remember the ‘wobbles’ learning how to ride a bike, or doing the ‘kangaroo jump’ when first behind the wheel of a manual car?

 This analogy can be used to describe many facets of our lives, especially in our school today. ‘Automaticity’ is the term used to describe learning the basic number facts, spelling words, phonic sounds, reading, writing, tying shoelaces and many other things automatically, where we don’t have to think a great deal about doing them. Mastering these tasks allows our brains to give more space to being able to problem solve, to learn new things, in what is referred to as working memory.

Independence is something we value highly here at Star of the Sea. When children come to our school in Reception they are still on their L’s and are learning every day to develop their learning and social needs and skills so that they can become independent, confident and capable students. We value greatly the assistance from parents and others in helping our children become skilful and independent learners. You can say that these are the instructors in the ‘passenger seat’ guiding, supporting and teaching the child to drive their car along their educational journey.  We as adults need to trust that one day our children will get their P’s and be able to drive on their own. Similarly, at school, we value the children being able to come to school and get on with their learning free from having to rely on parents having to do things for them, or being prepared to step in quickly to save them. Children should be coming to school and, once settled, be free to take risks and experience the feeling of being independent, learning many new and interesting things, and making mistakes and having a fall along the journey. They will learn from these situations as well. Of course, we love and care for our children, but we also need to allow them to experience school and life in a trusted and safe environment without constantly being there to save them.

Joe De Tullio

• Other students may walk to you at a designated time and spot
• The Esplanade is full of free parks
• Park a block away and enjoy the stroll

2. Come a little late and avoid the initial rush.  After 3.00pm the traffic eases considerably

Other courtesy actions that will keep everyone safe

• Model appropriate adult behaviour
• Keep the zones moving
• Be prepared to drive around
• Avoid erratic driving behavior such as swooping into the front line or doing a U turn by the crossing, or next to a kiss and drop zone
• Manage time to keep frustrations low and everyone safe
• Pick up and set down inside the school is strictly forbidden, it is pedestrians only.

Parents’ Responsibilities 

• Read and understand the rules and regulations
• Ensure everyone picking up the children also know the rules
• Ensure children know exactly what you expect
• Budget time to keep everyone safe

Teachers’ Responsibilities

• Ensure children are out on time
• Be on time for duty
• Know the rules and regulations
• Assist children and parents to be safe and avoid fines

Childrens’ Responsibilities 

• No playing after school
• Move directly to where parents expect them to be
• Watch for cars and move quickly to them
• Be aware of the importance of moving cars forward in the zone

 I hope you find this information useful and helpful.