11 June 2024 (Week 7 Term 2 2024)

Dear St Joseph’s Community

I hope all families enjoyed a safe and relaxing long weekend. It has been great to have our students back at school today. 

We have recently assessed students using the Progressive Achievement Test (PAT) for Reading and Maths. We assess students at the middle and end of the year in years 2-6 using these assessments and they provide us with excellent data to inform our teaching practice. We are very happy with the progress students are making on these assessments and we are working with teachers to analyse the data in depth to support the next steps in learning. We look forward to undertaking this assessment again in Term 4 to see what more growth we can support students in achieving.

TELL THEM FROM ME 

Again, a huge thank you to those parents who completed the Tell Them From Me survey. Below is a snapshot of the parent data. On the left is the results from the 2023 survey, and on the right is this year’s data. The blue line represents our school performance, and the grey line represents the average of 45 schools in our diocese. We are sitting above the average for all areas addressed in the survey and have also shown growth in all of these areas.  We’re very proud of the improvements that have been made and look forward to continuing to improve going forward. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP 

I have recently been reading The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. It talks a lot about the impact of children and young people spending too much time on screens and is well worth a read by any parent of young people today. Haidt also talks about the importance of sleep for children and young people. This can be something all families struggle with, including my own! Sleep is foundational to good health and quality learning. The NSW Healthy Living website provides some excellent advice on this. 

While adults can get by with much less sleep, the recommended hours of sleep for children aged 5-13 is 9 to 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

The benefits of quality sleep include: 

• better moods and behaviour
• improved mental health, self-esteem and resilience
• enhanced concentration and memory which helps learning
• a strong immune system which can help prevent illness.

SOME ADVICE FROM HEALTHY LIVING NSW ON SMOOTH BEDTIMES 

• Keep a consistent bedtime – going to sleep and waking up the same time each day helps their internal body clock to work.
• Start getting your child ready for sleep 30 minutes before bedtime. During these 30 minutes, do not allow screen time and focus on relaxing activities like reading or having a bath.
• Limit daytime or other activities in bed aside from reading before sleep. This helps the brain link bedtime with sleep.
• Encourage your child to spend time outdoors during the day and aim to get lots of exercise.

SCHOOL COMMUNITY GROUP MEETING

Thank you to those parents who attended last week’s School Community Group meeting. I really appreciated the opportunity to share some of the positive work the school has been doing and the positive impact that this is having. 

You can read the notes here. 

We’d love your feedback on what meeting times might work the best for you. Here is a very short survey to collect your thoughts. We have currently earmarked Tuesday, the 3rd of September, as our next meeting date. The time will be informed by your survey feedback. 

Below are the slides that Julie Parker presented for us on managing screen time with our children. This was an incredibly interesting and informative session and the slides are well worth reading. 

SCRIPTURE REFLECTION 

In this week’s Gospel, Mark 3:20-35, we witness Jesus facing misunderstanding and opposition from those around Him, including His own family. Despite the challenges, He redefines what it means to be part of His family, saying, "Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." This passage reminds us that true growth - both personal and communal - happens when we embrace love, understanding, and acceptance. Jesus teaches us that doing God's will and supporting one another in love is what makes us a true family. As educators, parents, and students, let’s strive to live out this message by welcoming and supporting each other, ensuring that every member of our community feels valued and included. By fostering an environment of love and faith, we can truly grow together.

You are invited to listen to Bishop Greg’s Homily from Sunday’s Mass. 

SPELD NSW READING STRATEGIES

PAT MATHEMATICS AND READING ASSESSMENTS

Students in years 2-6 have recently completed the PAT Mathematics and Reading Assessments. 

PAT Maths uses a sophisticated model to accurately target students’ abilities and to provide richer and more accurate diagnostic information about students’ achievement and needs. PAT Reading measures the essential skill of reading comprehension.  It captures the range of skills competent readers adopt in the construction of meaning, from retrieving discrete pieces of information to maintaining and developing an understanding of a range of texts. 

Students in Years 3-6 have all shown positive growth in their reading comprehension as well as their Mathematics. This is Year 2’s first year completing the assessment, so we now have a baseline to measure their growth next year.

We saw significant growth for students who are part of our MacLit and MiniLit reading and spelling intervention programs. 

This is an affirmation of the hard work staff and students have put towards learning in reading and mathematics this year. We are proud of these achievements and look forward to celebrating further growth in these areas. 

WRITE ON 2024 - WRITING COMPETITION

Entries are now open for students to write a short, imaginative text of up to 500 words using the artwork here as inspiration. The annual WriteOn competition allows students to develop their writing skills and if their entry is selected for inclusion, become a published author. Students are welcome to work on these at home and bring to Mr Crosby for feedback. Entries are due to the school on 24th June.

To find out more and to enter visit nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/nesa/awards-and-events/writeon-competition.

HOT CHOCOLATES FOR THE VINNIES WINTER APPEAL

Students are invited to enjoy a lovely hot chocolate for a gold coin donation to raise money for the Vinnies Winter Appeal on Thursday, 20th June. Students will learn about the challenges faced by the poor and marginalised during the cold winter months and how our Catholic Social Teaching helps guide our thoughts and actions in caring for those in need.

If any parents or grandparents are available to help serve hot chocolates from 1pm on this day, please email me at kathryn.jones@lism.catholic.edu.au or drop by the front office to let me know.

PARISH SCHOOL FAMILY MASS - SATURDAY 22ND JUNE

Please come along and join us for our Parish School Family Mass on Saturday, June 22nd, at 6pm. Stage 2 will be leading some special parts in the Mass. If your Stage 2 child is able to attend, please let us know via this quick Googleform. Miss MacDonald, Mrs McCall and our staff hope to see you there!

SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB

Issue 4 of Scholastic Bookclub is now available for purchases. The brochures were sent home with students last week. Please use the online orders at LOOP or cash purchases may be made through the school office.  Orders for this will close on Friday 14 June at 9am.

CROSS COUNTRY 

Last Tuesday, Hugo McCall (Year 3) competed at Polding Cross Country in Sydney. We congratulate Hugo for placing 5th in the 9 years boys race, this is an amazing effort. Hugo will now compete at PSSA Cross Country on July 23rd. 

ATHLETICS CARNIVAL - FRIDAY 28 JUNE

This week the details for our Joeys Athletics Carnival will be sent home via Compass for families. If you are available to assist on the day, please add your information to the questions at the end. 

As planning for the day is still underway, the program and additional information will be uploaded to the Event closer to the carnival. We hope to have the canteen information available for families this week too. 

This newsletter item is part of a series on bullying from the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools.

IS MY CHILD BEING BULLIED?

What are the signs?

Each individual student who has been bullied or is bullying others will respond and act differently. A student's behaviours and moods can also change for a variety of reasons. An important first step is to notice a change in behaviour.

Signs a parent may notice can include but are not limited to:

• not wanting to go to school
• changes to their method or route to school, or are frightened of walking to school
• changes in sleep patterns
• changes in eating patterns
• frequent tears, anger, mood swings
• unexplained bruises, cuts, scratches
• missing or damaged belongings or clothes
• arriving home hungry 

(Source: Bullying NoWay!)

What could my actions be?

Listen and Validate: The first step is to stay calm and try to get all the facts through an open and supportive conversation with your child. Listen to their experiences without judgement and validate their feelings. Let them know that you believe and support them. While it may be a case of bullying, it might also be the result of poor communication by one or both children.

Reassure Your Child: Reassure your child that they deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. Remind them that you are there to help.

Problem Solve: Sometimes, as a first step, your child may just want some advice about how to manage the situation. Discuss the things your child has already done to try to solve the problem and suggest other things they might try.

Document: At other times it is important that action is taken immediately. Help your child create a simple timeline including when it started and important details such as location, what happened and the names of any bystanders. This documentation can be helpful when talking to the school and/ or police.

Talk to the school: If you suspect your child is experiencing bullying at school, provide the school with the specific incidents or experiences. It is important for the school to know as many details as possible. Request a meeting to support your child. Work with the school to solve the problem. Encourage your child to report any further bullying incidents to a teacher.

Ongoing Communication: Remember that addressing bullying requires ongoing communication, support, and advocacy for your child. Always prioritise your child's safety and wellbeing, and work in collaboration with the school to find a resolution to the bullying situation.

Cyberbullying: Often harmful online content can be removed by the site, game or app used to send it. eSafety may be able to help remove the content if it is likely to harm your child’s physical or mental health.

Nurture your child’s strengths and interests: Provide a variety of opportunities for your child to explore different activities, sports, arts, and hobbies. Let them try different things to discover what they enjoy the most. Help your child connect with peers who have similar passions.

When should I contact the police?

Some forms of bullying involve criminal offences, including repeatedly bullying someone if it is likely to cause that person physical or mental harm, including self-harm, threats to kill or harm someone, property damage or theft, texting, e-mailing or posting sexual images.  Contact police if bullying involves a criminal offence.

Congratulations to Indy Vu, Layla Vu, Scarlett Hinton and Jonty Allen, who were Confirmed by Fr Max at the Vigil Mass this past Saturday evening. It is lovely to see them all make the final step in initiation into the church!

EACH DAY’S LEARNING BUILDS ON WHAT HAS BEEN LEARNT BEFORE

Regular school attendance is crucial for several reasons, and the cumulative nature of learning is one of them. Here are some important points:

• Sequential Learning. Subjects are structured in a sequential manner, where concepts and skills build upon each other. Each lesson introduces new material that relies on the foundation established in previous lessons. Consistent attendance ensures that students don't miss key building blocks in their education.
• Practice and Reinforcement. Learning is not just about exposure to information but also about practice and reinforcement. Regular attendance allows students to engage in activities, discussions, and assignments that reinforce what they've learned, contributing to retention and understanding.
• Social and Collaborative Learning. Beyond individual learning, school is also a place for social and collaborative learning. Regular attendance allows students to participate in group activities, discussions, and projects, fostering social skills and teamwork.
• Building a Growth Mindset. Consistent attendance fosters a growth mindset, where students develop the belief that their abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This mindset is essential for tackling challenges and embracing a lifelong learning attitude.

School attendance is not just about being physically present; it's about actively participating in the learning process, building a foundation of knowledge and skills, and preparing for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Each day of school offers a valuable opportunity for growth and development, making regular attendance a key factor in a student's educational journey.