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Thursday 9 June |
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Monday 14 June |
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Wednesday 16 June - Friday 18 June |
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Friday 18 June |
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Monday 21 June |
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Thursday 24 June |
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Dear Parents, Students, Staff and all associated with St Catherine's Community
The signs of the need for the impending mid-year break are becoming increasingly apparent. We are all beginning to slowly tire. The shortening days, the colder weather (not forgetting the wet and blustery conditions experienced today), and two weeks in lockdown are adding to the need for some "fallow time".
With the break just around the corner, I thought the following would remind us of the importance to listen to our body's voice when there is a deeper yearning to simply slow.
The Chinese word for ‘busy’ is composed of two characters – “heart” and “killing”. As we always rush on around trying to get things ‘done’, we kill something vital in ourselves. We smother the quiet wisdom of our heart. Always striving for speed and efficiency, we lose the capacity to appreciate the million quiet moments that bring us peace, beauty and joy. We squander the teachings that may be present in this very moment. There is a proverb, “Better one hand full of quiet than two hands full of striving after wind”. Unpractised in the art of quiet, we hope to find our belonging by increasing our levels of accomplishment. But frantic busyness actually makes us deaf to what is sacred, both in ourselves and in one another.”
Wayne Muller, Legacy of the Heart
Aesop, the famous writer of fables, once set a riddle for his critics who accused him of engaging in frivolous thought as opposed to “real” philosophic thought. Aesop picked up a bow, loosened its string and placed it onto the ground and then asked, “What does the unstrung bow imply.” No one was able to answer the riddle in a manner that was satisfactory to Aesop’s purpose; so he provided the answer: “If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually. But, if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it.”
Nowadays, taking time off or unstringing our bow, is almost regarded as being a weakness, for our society prides itself on being a 24-hour day, seven days a week place, where we all should be. There is some mistaken belief that humans should have a 24/7 capability. This is simply not true. We were created for balance: for working and relaxing; for business and for family; for socialising and for contemplation. When life gets out of balance we pay the price.
It’s possible that we might be of the opinion that we are indispensable and that our workplace or our home will not be able to function, if we are not there all the time, beavering away. Well, not even Jesus thought that! In Mark’s Gospel we are told that when the Apostles returned from their teaching activities, they were exhausted but people still wanted their time. Jesus was aware of both situations, as Mark records:
“There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his disciples didn’t
even have time to eat. So he said to them, ‘Let us go off by ourselves to some place where we will be alone and you can rest awhile’.” - Mark 6:31
Jesus fully realised that, tired or not, needs are always there. He also realised that you can't do everything; unless you come apart and rest awhile, you may truly come apart. Everyone needs to step aside from a busy over-stimulated life to have a break. We all need a certain amount of space, uncommitted time in our life; we all need time for thinking or listening or just being in quietness. It’s when we stop dashing about, that we see our world more clearly. When we stop doing things, we are open to having things done for us and to us by other people.
We don't have to be part of the 24/7 culture that is around us, if we don't want to. We can create our own sub-culture that involves our family and friends and allows us to realise the natural flow of life by giving the right amount of attention to all aspects of our day to day living. If we allow one aspect of our life to become too dominant we lose the balance in our life, which can then lead to conflict and unhappiness. - There really is value in that well known phrase of taking time to smell the roses.
Easing of Restrictions
No doubt today's announcement by the Victorian Government was welcome news. Following two weeks navigating the landscape of Remote Schooling again, there will be a sense of relief for many that students are set to return to onsite schooling as of Friday.
Despite the varying challenges that comes with teaching and learning remotely, it has been wonderful to note the situation has been embraced and every effort made to make the most of teaching and learning in this difficult space. The support of parents during this time has been absolutely remarkable given that this is balanced with many working from home as well juggling home life with little ones as well. Thank you!
Staff Welcome
It gives me great pleasure to welcome Miss Carly Williams onto the staff at St Catherine's. Following what has been a very difficult and protracted process of securing a suitable replacement for Daniel Bishop (5LA4) who resigned at the conclusion of Term 1, it has been wonderful to have Carly commence and join the Year 5 teaching team. I am sure you will join with me in extended Carly all the very best as she settles into our school community.
School Review
Next week, St Catherine’s will undertake its School Review as we work towards analysing data, setting goals and establishing a new 4-year Strategic Plan. The primary objective of school review is to evaluate where we have come from over the past 4 years, where we are today and where we wish to be.
This year, St Catherine’s will be involved in an alternate process which the Diocese is trialling with a small select number of schools. The process is interview based and Reviewers will set about identifying evidence of practice within the school. Two key documents: the National School Improvement Tool (NSIT) and the Catholic Identity and Religious Education School Improvement Tool (CIRESIT) provide a framework against which to measure practice. A key feature of the NSIT and CIRESIT are the set of performance levels, ‘Low’, ‘Medium’, ‘High’ and ‘Outstanding’. These levels provide the opportunity for schools to establish “a point in time position” in relation to their improvement journey. School review will be held over three days - 16-18 June 2021.
Tutor in Schools Program
The Tutor Learning Initiative is designed to support students whose learning has been disrupted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools must only use their funding to engage tutors to provide targeted teaching to students identified as needing support.
The commencement of Term 3 will also see the commencement of the Tutor in Schools Program for St Catherine's. This will be implemented for the duration of Semester 2 running through until the end of the year. Schools have the responsibility for ensuring the most appropriate model of tutoring for their school and students, with support from regional staff and guided by the evidence and resources available.
Please Keep in Your Prayers
With the COVID crisis continuing to wreak havoc in many parts of the world, I am particularly aware of the impact for many of our school families with relatives and friends back home in India. The tyranny of distance and a lack of not being able to be a physical support has no doubt added distress and worry in times that are already very difficult. Our prayers and thoughts are extended to all families who are not in a position to be with loved ones or have had lives separated due to restrictions of international travel.
Looking forward to seeing all students on return this Friday.
Yours in Catholic Education
Kevin Browning
Principal
Positive Behaviour Support
Hello Everyone!
This week I received an email from Luke McKenna. Luke is part of the team, ‘Unleashing Personal Potential’ (UPP). The UPP team travels throughout Australia and works with students and community groups to build resilience, growth mindset and nurture positive relationships for young people. We have been fortunate to have the UPP team work with our Year 5 students during their Leadership Week program on a couple of occasions. You can access UPPs website by clicking on the link:
Unleashing Personal Potential: Student Leadership & Student Wellbeing
In Luke’s email this week, he describes how ‘things happen’. We all face challenges. Bad things happen to all of us sometimes, which can cause us to feel upset, alone, frustrated, annoyed, angry or disappointed. Things that happen to us are beyond our control. We can not control what other people say or do. However, we do have a choice. We can choose how we respond or react to those things.
You may have heard of ‘fight or flight or freeze’ and you can probably think back to things that have happened to you recently when you chose one of those reactions. At school we teach our students about the ‘catastrophe scale’, supporting them to put things into perspective. You can view a short YouTube clip here from Luke, Above & Below the Line.
As you can see in the infographic, all of us have the power of choice. We can choose how we react and respond to the things that happen to us. Take time to have a conversation in your family this week and talk about how you manage the ups and downs in life. Model positive choices for your child and support them to do the same. Notice and acknowledge when they make an ‘above the line’ choice.
This week our Shine focus is Have Respect when we Play. Your challenge is to apply ‘above the line’ behaviours when playing games and interacting with others. Next week this theme will continue, as we return to onsite schooling and we begin to interact with others once again.
Yveie Tonks
Leader for Positive Behaviour Support Implementation
Program Support Groups (PSGs)
Term 2 Program Support Group (PSG) meetings will take place in the remaining weeks of this term, with some meetings carrying over into early Term 3.
PSGs are held termly for those families of children who receive substantial learning adjustments as part of their Personalised Learning Plan (PLP).
These families will receive further communication shortly regarding their child’s PSG Meeting.
Please read the attached Parent Guide to Program Support Groups for further information regarding these.
The teachers at St Catherine's will be holding learning conversations with each family early next term. Students are more than welcome to attend the learning conversations, as research supports these opportunities as a means for developing students' ability to reflect and talk about their learning.
The learning conversations provide an opportunity for you to:
- discuss your child's learning, with a particular focus on the achievements and future learning
- discuss any learning adjustments that are being made
- discuss how you can work in partnership with the school to support your child’s learning at home
If you have other concerns or need more than the allocated 10 minutes, we ask that you make another appointment time by emailing your child’s teacher directly.
At this stage, learning conversations are likely to take place with your child’s teacher via Google Meet. Further information will be provided via Operoo, regarding the booking process for learning conversations.
The 2021 Australian Early Development Census
Hello Everyone
I hope that you are staying warm and safe during this time. It is in these times of uncertainty that we find ourselves faced with many challenges which can often be out of our control. I look at these times as an opportunity to stop, reflect and re-evaluate.
Last Sunday was the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ also known as the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, which translates from Latin to “Body of Christ.”
This feast calls us to focus on two manifestations of the Body of Christ, the Holy Eucharist and the Church. The primary purpose of this feast is to focus our attention on the Eucharist. The opening prayer at Mass calls our attention to Jesus’ suffering and death and our worship of Him, especially in the Eucharist.
Please be aware that at this point in time, we will not be continuing with the First Holy Communion Ceremonies for Years Four and Five until it is safe to do so.
Families of Year Four and Five candidates would have received a letter from the parish via Operoo regarding this matter. I will advise families of any changes as soon as they come to light.
Below is a prayer that you might like to say as a family:
God of love,
We thank you today for the gift of Jesus – the bread of life – which we receive through Holy Communion. We ask you that through our belief of Jesus as the bread of life, that he will continue to feed and nourish our hearts and help us to bring his love to us and to all those we have contact with. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Yours in Faith
Nerida Byrden
Leader of Catholic Identity Religious Education
Pokemon, Bakugan and other precious items
Children who bring Pokemon, Bakagun and other precious items do so at their own risk.
The school does not promote or encourage trading, in fact we say it is not to happen. When children are out on the yard it is impossible to monitor this amongst our students. Whilst we acknowledge that some of our students find playing with and talking about these special characters, toys or games very enjoyable it can also bring a lot of distress to others.
Inappropriate Content:
- Some online games may not be age appropriate for your child and may contain violent or sexual images. All online games come with an age recommendation.
- To prevent your child from accessing inappropriate games, ensure parental settings are active on your computers/consoles and check the age rating here on the games your child is accessing
Information on parental controls for the most popular consoles can be found here:
Xbox – xbox.com/en-IE/parental-controls
PlayStation – support.us.playstation.com/app
Nintendo – nintendo.co.uk/Support/Parents/
Multi-Player Gaming:
- Many online games allow for multiplayer modes which can pose some risks to young people. In multiplayer mode, users can play other gamers from anywhere in the world.
- Some of these games allow users to send messages to each other via text or audio modes. In some cases, young players can experience abuse/harassment online from other gamers, particularly when emotions are high after a competitive game.
- Players can be exposed to inappropriate language from gamers and in some cases, young people may leave themselves open to unwanted contact by sharing personal information via their profiles or by talking with other players.
How to avoid this:
- Ensure your child’s profile is private and encourage your child not to use real photos or full names for their gaming profile and not to share any personal information.
- It’s also a good idea to let your child know to speak to you if they feel uncomfortable or are not sure about something they have encountered while gaming.
- Make sure your child knows how to block a player who sends upsetting messages.
Pay to Play:
- Many online games are free to download. However, these games can offer additional functions, once the game is live, which users can purchase. It is a popular practice among downloadable games and apps to offer players the chance to buy access to the next level of a game or to purchase functions to help them complete games.
- It can be very easy for players to inadvertently run up bills on these games.
How to avoid this:
- Parents should ensure that they have a password set on their phone/device for in-app purchases or that they switch off this option on the phone/device; this can normally be done within the app/mobile settings.
Tips for Keeping Your Child Safe
Here are a few helpful tips to ensure a safe online gaming experience for your child.
- Check the age rating of the games your children are playing and ensure games are age appropriate.
- Advise your child not to share personal details online or in their profiles. In the case of teens, it may be best to discuss the dangers of sharing information online.
- Encourage your child to play fairly and treat other gamers with respect.
- Use family safety settings to protect your child from discovering games which may not be age/content appropriate.
- For many parents it is useful to agree on time limits on gaming with their children.
- Playing games online can leave computers/devices open to risk of a virus. Protect your computer by ensuring you have up to date anti-virus software in place.
- Ensure your child knows how to report or block other players who engage in online harassment or any other unsuitable behaviour.
What Are the Risks?
- The biggest concern for parents of children accessing this game is screen time. Due to the immersive nature of the game, some children will find it difficult to stop playing. Games can be over in seconds or, if the user is achieving a high level then it can seem imperative to continue playing.
- The PGEI rating is 12+ but age is not requested when creating an account.
- The platform is integrated with Facebook and Google, the concern is that users may add other gamers to these platforms. Talk to your child about making friends with people they do not know online.
- The default setting enables other online users to add you as a ‘Friend’. Should you add them as a friend you are able to private chat with them.
- Gamers playing this online game connect from all across the world may be any age or gender and can remain totally anonymous.
- Users may be exposed to offensive language by other players on text chat or live chat.
- There are in-app purchases that can be expensive but are not necessary to play the game. Children must have permission from a parent or they could be banned from the game. Their terms and conditions state: “When you provide payment information to Epic or its authorized processor, you represent that you are an authorized user of the payment card, PIN, key, account or other payment method specified by you, and you authorize Epic to charge such payment method for the full amount of the transaction.”
Advice for Parents and Young People
- If your child is using Xbox One or PlayStation 4, you can use the parental controls to limit the amount of time your child can play the game.
- There are a number of different play modes and settings that can make the game safer for children. For example, users can choose to play a game of survival just among friends. If your child is playing solo mute the volume on their device so that they do not have to communicate with people via the game.
- Epic Games also provides privacy settings for users' accounts. Friend requests are automatically set to ‘Public’, however, this can be changed to ‘Friends’ or ‘Private’.
- If your child is playing with friends, asking them to leave mid-game can cause tension. Give them the responsibility of managing their time so that this does not happen. Longer games can last about 20 minutes, but also be over in minutes. Get them to make a rough estimate how many games they can play within the timeframe they have.
- The game can be very absorbing, try asking your child questions about what they are doing in the game, and how it works to draw their attention back into the present. This can help to wean themselves out slowly of their virtual world and back into reality, making it easier for them to stop playing the game.
- Make your child or teen aware of the reporting features that are available to them while playing the game.
- Talk to your child about making friends online or speaking with people anonymously. Remind them never to give out personal information online, or give access to other platforms they use where personal information can be found. Check out our guide to sharing online: https://www.webwise.ie/parents/talking-points-posting-sharing-online/.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability that affects the way people communicate and interact with the world. Characteristics generally appear in early childhood and will be present, in some form, for life.
Understanding Autism
Around 1 in 100 Australians is autistic and 85% of the community has a personal connection with an autistic person.
Autism affects the way individuals interact with others and how they experience the world around them. Every autistic person is different, which means that each person has unique strengths and challenges.
Autistic people may have:
- challenges with communicating and interacting with others
- repetitive and different behaviours, moving their bodies in different ways
- strong interest in one topic or subject
- unusual reactions to what they see, hear, smell, touch or taste
- preferences for routines and dislike change.
What causes Autism
There is no known cause of autism.
Much research is being done to try to find out more. Right now, evidence suggests that autism results from changes to the development and growth of the brain. These changes may be caused by a combination of factors, including genetics.
Autism is part of who a person is. It isn’t caused by parenting or social circumstances. Autism is also not caused by vaccination or other medical treatment.
Secondary Conditions
Autism may be present with other conditions. This can affect people in different ways. Some other conditions autistic people commonly experience are:
- speech and language challenges
- intellectual disability
- sleep problems
- attention problems
- hyperactivity
- epilepsy
- anxiety and depression
- challenges with fine and gross motor skills.
Do Autistic People Look Different?
Autism is a neurodevelopmental (meaning related to the brain) disability and doesn’t have any physical characteristics.
This can lead to others judging autistic individuals and their families, because they may not understand why the autistic individual is behaving differently. For example, parents of autistic children sometimes report that others think that their children are badly behaved and that they lack parenting skills.
Another example is autistic adults who may struggle with social situations and ‘small talk’. Social interactions are subtle and constantly changing, and autistic people may have challenges keeping up with verbal and non-verbal messages that are being communicated – their behaviour may be misunderstood and believed to be rude.
Feeling judged can be very stressful for autistic people and their families. Treating them with respect, and being kind when someone is struggling can really make a difference. |
Learn more about autism and how you can support autistic people at Do One Thing for Autism.
The term autism includes autism/autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).
You might also hear terms like high functioning, low functioning, severe and mild in an attempt to describe the extent of the challenges experienced by autistic people.
However, every autistic individual has different strengths and challenges, and these terms ignore the difficulties some autistic people may experience and the capabilities of others.
BOOKCLUB Issue 4
Closing date is
Monday 14 June at 12 midday
Our school Canteen operates on Tuesday and Thursday.
- Orders are online only.
- Orders are via CDFPay.
- Orders must be complete by 8:45am on the day.
- Orders can be placed in advance.
- Please ALWAYS check the date BEFORE you continue with your order to ensure that the date is correct, so that your child gets the order on the correct day!
Please see the link below. Create a CDFPay account and then simply place your order.
Cancelling Orders
If your child is sick or will not be attending school and you have placed your order you need to:
- Contact the School Office to advise that you wish to cancel the order.
- Your CDFPay account will be credited.
- No refunds are possible.
Alyssa R | Sayul M | Syierra T |
Rashane D | Jacob E | Savannah T |
Joshua Z | Nate E | Jairus J |
Sophie B | Isla A | Jocelyn L |
Meha S | Neora A | Dominic L |
Jessica S | Tahlia S | Mikaila B |
Bella D | Lina K | Georgie P |
Please check jumpers, windcheaters and coats for names. We have received many reports of lost items with name tags. If your child brings home a uniform item belonging to someone else, please return it to the school office
Name labels wear and become feint with washing, please check labels and 'refresh' them so that they can be read and items returned to owners.
Assorted lost property without names to identify owners can be found in the wheelie bin located near the Community Room.
Uniform
FULL WINTER UNIFORM
Students should now be wearing their FULL WINTER UNIFORM
Hats are no longer required.
Boys Winter Uniform |
Grey long pants, lemon shirt, school jumper, grey socks |
Boys Winter Sport Uniform |
Sport polo shirt, school windcheater, school shorts of track suit pants and WHITE socks |
The Uniform Shop
Owned and operated by Jan Kennewell
Location: Multi-Purpose Room
Thursday | 8:30 – 9:00am |
Friday | 8:30 – 10:45am |
Access
- Enter the school grounds via the gate near the School Office , opposite The Chapel or along side the school oval.
- Sign in VIA the QR code at the MPR or in the uniform shop
- Purchase and pay. Note: Payment is by credit card only. NO CASH.
- Exit via the same gate
ONLINE Ordering
Order online using QKR!
- Download the app
- Create a login
- Locate St Catherine’s Catholic Primary School
- Add a profile
- Order
Orders will be sent home via your child
Additional Opening Times
Open Tuesday and Friday afternoon from 2:30 – 3:30pm in the FIRST two weeks of every and the LAST two weeks of every term.
Monday 21 June
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Thursday 24 June
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Friday 25 June
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Monday 12 July
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Tuesday 20 July
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Friday 23 July
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Monday 26 July |
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Friday 30 July
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Friday 6 August
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Monday 9 August
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Thursday 12 August
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Friday 13 August
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Friday 20 August
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Friday 27 August
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Tuesday 31 August
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Thursday 9 September
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Friday 10 September
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Wednesday 15 September
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Friday 17 September
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Monday 4 October
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Thursday 14 October
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Wednesday 27 October
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Monday 1 November
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Tuesday 2 November
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Thursday 11 November
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Wednesday 15 December
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Thursday 16 December
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Friday 17 December
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