Achieve - all that you can

Jesus said therefore

‘What is the Kingdom of God like?  And to what shall I compare it?  It is like the mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches’.    

Luke 13: 18-20

St Monica - A Model of Perseverance

Family - Responsibility, Perseverance & Inclusion

Dear Parents,

Congratulations to our Year 5 & 6 Team on an outstanding Australian History presentation last night. The performance was a culmination of their learning over the semester covering identity and diversity within Australia. Special thanks to Kathy Moir for the amazing script, it was a very moving and inspirational storyline. The children were fabulous. 

School Reports

School reports went home on Wednesday. Second copiers were posted to families where children live between two homes or were away this week. Thank you to the teachers for the time and effort given to the preparation of the reports

Staffing

A reminder to families that Andras Toth will be taking 3/4 C for the first 3 weeks of Term 3 and that Monika Richards will also be away for the first 2 weeks of the term.

Families Leaving St Monica's

This week we say farewell to the Karofillis family (Maria - 4H). We wish them all the best.

God bless and have a very safe holiday if travelling.

Carmel Maguire 

This week staff reflected on what they love about St Monica's as part of staff prayer. We often ask the children however this week I want you to know what brings the staff to school each day.

• The warmth and joy you can feel when you walk around the school.
• I love the joy the students I work with bring to their learning and celebrate the growth they have made. They are the reason I raise and come to St Monica's each day
• Watching the students grow and the progress they make throughout the year, the sense of community and friendships I have built
• I love the students personalities. They always entertain me with their stories and perspectives.
• I love developing relationships with families and having the privilege of teaching siblings in those families.
• Feeling of family - the support, the smiles.
• The feeling of community, the enthusiasm of the children and the dedication of staff and families.
• Feeling of belonging and being valued.
• I love the community at St Monica's. I feel as though I am part of a family, where support is given in times of need and positive achievements are celebrated.
• The people I work with.
• St Monica's offers me the support I need to feel valued.
• The sense of community with established connections between staff, students and families.
• Building positive and accepting relationships as a class group.
• Settling new children and parents into the school environment so they feel welcome, safe and comfortable.
• Creating positive relationships with students and parents and having a happy and inclusive classroom environment.
• Future focus
• The students, their enthusiasm, drive, engagement and successes are why we get up every morning and come to school.
• The amazing children, wonderful families, committed staff members and involvement with the parish.

Focus 4: Create a schoolwide approach to analysing purposeful data and student voice to challenge all learners and achieve improved outcomes.

The specific focus areas for this goal include

1. Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) to conduct action learning on deepening teacher skill and knowledge in use of data in Mathematics, Conceptual Inquiry and English so that a schoolwide approach can be articulated for the future and student growth evident.
2. Implement the Archdiocesan Diagnostic Assessment Program and identified assessment by St Monica’s staff to develop a consistent assessment collection of records across the school.
3. Develop a framework to ensure student voice and context is used to inform teaching and learning ie Home learning, school rules etc

How are we going to do this?

Whole School Assessment & PLTs

Collecting, understanding, recording and analysing and moderate student work.

Using data to inform teaching and learning.

Develop teachers confidence in effectively planning a sequence of lessons using the data

Use of student assessment results documented to track growth over time (in line with current collected assessment data)

Implement a  student progress and achievement document/program that is easily recorded and accessible. Explore STAR 

School-wide process and times for moderation to be developed to ensure consistency of process and assessment.

Use of AITSL illustrations of practice and Australian Curriculum work samples to assist with the moderation process.

Perceptual Data

Review School Wide Progam for Behaviour using student voice.

Students using flexible learning spaces appropriately to facilitate learning.

In 2019 Catholic Education introduced the Child Safe Advocate role in all of their schools. The role has been put in place to ensure the safety of all children in our schools is maintained and to support schools with the administrative tasks that now exist, such as Working With Vulnerable People checks. As the Child Safe Advocate, I have attended meetings outlining best practice in the teaching of Protective Behaviours for students, been introduced to the Child Safety Standards that are currently being launched nationally and had an opportunity to look at policies in place to ensure the safety of all students. 

In Term Three our school will be teaching Protective Behaviours to our students using current resources from Educate to Empower Publishing. We understand that the content of Protective Behaviours can be confronting for some students and are therefore keen to ensure there is ample opportunity for our families to engage with the content before lessons are taught. To achieve this, we will also be sending out an overview of the program including links to videos of the books so that families can preview the content well in advance. The school will then elaborate on the overview by providing home lesson information each week in the newsletter with the plan to have students receive the lesson the following day or Monday of the next week. That way parents will have the opportunity to discuss the program and specific lessons with their children in advance or each Thursday night.

We hope this will ensure our students are given the greatest opportunity to learn about protecting themselves in a safe, comfortable environment. 

Luke Donnelly

NAIDOC Week is celebrated each year in July to acknowledge the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee.

Yr 3 – 4 will visit at 11:30am

Yr 5 – 6 will visit at 1:30pm

Later in the week a group of students who have Indigenous backgrounds have been invited to attend a NAIDOC Mass organised by Catholic Education, Canberra & Goulburn.

 What is anxiety?

What is anxiety? Anxiety is more than feeling stressed or worried. It can be difficult to cope, but with the right support things can get better.

What are the symptoms of anxiety in children? Everyone experiences anxiety differently, but there are some common symptoms.

Physical – Headaches, tummy aches, shaking, blushing, sweating, goose bumps and light-headedness

Thoughts – Future orientated thinking about something bad happening

Feelings – Fear, worry, stress, scared or afraid

Behaviour – Avoidance, crying, acting out, clinging or running away

Internet based therapy is not new anymore. Many studies have shown great success with online cognitive behaviour therapy. It is convenient, cost effective, confidential and easy to access for busy families. The BRAVE Program is an interactive, online program for the prevention and treatment of childhood and adolescent anxiety. The programs are free, and provide ways for children and teenagers to better cope with their worries. There are also programs for parents. Please visit https://brave4you.psy.uq.edu.au for more information.

Change and loss affect all of us at some stage in our lives. At St Monica’s we recognise that when changes occur in families through death, separation, divorce or related circumstances, young people benefit from learning how to manage these changes effectively. Seasons for Growth  is an Australian program that provides opportunities for students in Years 1-6 to integrate the appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes to understand and cope with change, loss and grief, using the symbolism of the four seasons.

Beginning early in Term 3 we will be offering the Seasons for Growth program. Mr Bob Fletcher, a trained ‘Companion’, will spend time with small groups of students who are dealing with some aspect of change, separation, loss or grief. The sessions do not provide counselling or therapy and are not designed to prepare children for imminent grief or loss. Instead, the program aims to specifically assist children who have had a change in their lives through death, separation or divorce. It does this through encouraging the expression of thoughts and emotions, educating about the grief process, developing a peer support network and drawing on extensive research in developing a sound educative response to loss and grief.

Seasons for Growth is an eight session program and will be conducted during school hours with children being withdrawn from class. It is recommended that at least six months passes after the loss, as children are then in a better position to cope with the program.

If this is the first time your child/children will be participating in the program, it is essential that you have this information in order to ascertain if the program will meet the needs of your child/children. Please indicate on the return slip if you would like to personally discuss the program or require more information in print.

Please contact Bob Fletcher, our program co-ordinator if you would like more information.

The following table provides an overview of the way in which Season for Growth integrates the grief tasks with the program contact.

 Overview of Program and Content Topics

Term 2 School Fees payments should now be finalised. If you have not yet paid your fees, please settle your account as soon as possible.

If you have a Direct Debit arrangement in place no additional payment is required. However, please ensure you have sufficient funds in your account for the debits to take place successfully. In the event one of your debits is refused, you are required to make a separate payment to cover the missed payment.

As always, please contact the School Finance Officer should you need to discuss your school fees account.

Happy Birthday to the following students and to students celebrating a Birthday during July school holidays -

Lily H, Noah P, Mya L, Ruby M, Aiden Mc, Toby Mc, Laura R, Tasharna S, Maggie P, Cooper A, Tahlianna B, Elyse S, Eamon F

Special Lunch Day

Thank you to all the amazing helpers who gave up their time to help yesterday on Special Lunch Day - Leah Platts, Renee Fleming and Kaye Solari. Thank you to Brett Welsh who did a fantastic job barbequing all the sausages. 

Samantha Manning - Canteen Manager - 62584687

Trivia Night

St Monica's Annual Trivia Night is planned for Friday 2 August.  We strongly encourage you to come along, get a table together and ready yourself for some laughs.  If you don't have enough for a table - never fear our awesome organisers can accommodate.  It is a great night and a great opportunity for parents to get together and have some fun! 

Community Council Meeting

Last week the Community Council met.  Council discussed a number of issues including student safety concerns due to parents using the staff carpark as a thoroughfare, quotation for an outdoor classroom, the review of the home learning policy and the success of smoosh's recent accreditation process. 

Community Council Open Meeting

Our next meeting on Wednesday 7 August will be an open meeting.  We encourage everyone to attend. Drinks and nibbles will be available on the night.

If you have any ideas or concerns please email them through to our Secretary Fiona Steinberg at Council.StMonicas@cg.catholic.edu.au  

  Friday 9 August - Movie & PJ Night - Instant Family (PG)

Year 5 & 6 only -  6:00pm – 8:30pm

Our Annual Chess Tournament is on again on Friday 2 August (Week 2, Term 3).  This tournament is free for anyone who would like to enter and is open to all students who can play chess from Year 1- Year 6.  Refer to the entry form for further details. Don't forget to polish up your chess skills or learn how to play chess over the school holidays!

St_monica_s_chess_tournament_flyer_2019.pdf

Holiday Coaching Camps - Monday 8 July - Friday 12 July

Holiday Coaching Camps at Melba provides a week of intensive tennis coaching from our award-winning coaches.

Red Ball Camp Ages 3-6

With special low compression red balls that bounce lower and slower and genuine 'Hot Shots' mini courts with lower nets, the youngest champions will have fun learning to play. Time - 9am - 10am, Cost - day rate - $17, full week - $60.

Junior Tennis Camp Ages 6-14

Older kids will develop strokes and game skills in a fun and challenging environment. Time - 9am - 12pm, Cost - day rate - $45, full week - $180.

Reserve your place now - Call Owen Peemoeller on 0407 456 293, email owen@@onthelinetennis.com.au, register online at www.onthelinetennis.com.au

Thank you to all the families who have sent in Earn and Learn stickers. Earn and Learn has now finished so if you do have any stickers at home please send them in to school by Friday 5 July. We need to have our final count submitted by Sunday 7 July.