Newsletter Term 2 Week 8 (Wednesday 19th June 2024)

Our Front Page with Year 6

During English this term, Year 6 have been learning to use more figurative language to enhance our writing by making it more exciting and descriptive. We have been learning about allusions, anaphors, metaphors, hyperboles, using tier 2 and 3 language and more. We have been reading a book about a boy from Russia in WW2. During reading, we have been reading fluently, using different voices for characters and identifying figurative language in our text and the effect this has on us as readers. 

In Maths, we have been learning about skeletal models and nets. We built a skeletal model of our own custom takeaway containers.  We have also learnt learnt about fractions, decimals and percentages. 

Below are some images of our 3D skeletal models and some images we drew about our English Text, ‘Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief’.

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Our Gospel Reflection

Our reading this Sunday is taken from the Gospel of Mark. The sea and its surrounding area are the settings for Jesus' teachings and miracles in this part of Mark's Gospel. Sunday's reading describes how Jesus calmed a storm at sea. It is the first of four miracles that are presented in sequence at this point in Mark's Gospel.

This Gospel is a metaphor for our lives. We are in the boat, the storms of life are raging around us, and like the disciples, we may believe that Jesus is unconcerned, or “sleeping.” We hope that we will be as familiar with Jesus as his disciples. If we feel that Jesus is sleeping, are we comfortable enough to wake Jesus and present him with our needs? Jesus does not chide his disciples for waking him. Instead he chides them for their lack of faith, for their lack of perspective. When we bring our worries to God in prayer, we might just begin to learn to see things from God's perspective.

Write a letter to Jesus, asking him to calm the storm you are experiencing. When you are done, put the letter in a safe place. When you feel that the storm has passed, rip up the letter and replace it with a letter of thanksgiving.

From Our Principal

Schools undergo periodic review processes for us to celebrate achievements and look to future growth options, which is an integral aspect of school improvement. St Brigid's will take part in the 3-year cyclic review which commenced today and will run until Friday afternoon.

Today we welcome a panel of knowledgeable others to our school to explore all we do at St Brigid's, which forms the basis of a report that will offer affirmations, commendations and recommendations.  The panel for our School Review are Dr Graeme Hall (ACER Lead Reviewer), Mrs. Jenny Triglone (Lead, School Improvement, Catholic Schools Office) and Mr. Dan Gubby (Principal, St Francis Xavier Primary School, Ballina). Staff, students and parents will be given opportunities to meet with the panel to offer their thoughts, celebrations and insights.

Many thanks to all those parents who indicated that they would like to meet with the members of the Panel. If you still would like an opportunity to meet with the panel please do not hesitate to contact Jo in the School Office and an opportunity to have a conversation can be arranged.

We are looking forward to celebrating and improving our beautiful school.

Renewal and Long Service Leave

This will be my last newsletter for a couple of months as I embark on a combination of Renewal and Long Service Leave. This leave was originally planned for last year but things didn't go to plan and I was subjected to other leave.

For my Renewal Leave, my wife Helen and I will be undertaking a 3 week course of study at the Rome Campus of Australian Catholic University. The title of the course is Catholic Education: Mission, Culture and Spirituality and explores the role of the Catholic school in realising the mission of the Church, and the implications this has for those who lead Catholic schools. The course is a combination of lectures and visits to a variety of churches, museums and basilicas significant to the Catholic Church

Following our 3 weeks in Rome, we will then travel to the United Kingdom where we will meet our daughter Maddie and travel around England, Scotland and Wales together. We are very much looking forward to this part of our trip and spending this time together. 

I will be back at St Brigid's on Wednesday 14th August. In my absence, Mrs Walters will be Acting Principal and we welcome Miss Annika Dicker who will take on the role of Acting Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching.

Semester 1 Reports

Our teachers have been very busy these past weeks with finalising assessments and composing the Semester 1 Academic Reports. I frequently hear our teachers talking and discussing the learning experiences they have led your children through and the improvements they have made, the ‘next steps’ in their learning journey as they discern the most appropriate grade for each learning area. Reporting is not an easy process, and there is much time, thought, conversation and deliberation put into arriving at the final result. I congratulate all of our teachers on their hard work and their commitment to ensuring that students’ reports are an accurate reflection of student learning progress and effort. School Reports will be published in Compass on Monday, 1st July.

Pupil Free Day Reminders

A reminder that we have three Staff Development Days coming up in Terms 2 and 3. These will be devoted to professional learning on Staff Spirituality, the development of our three-year strategic plan and Indigenous Education. The dates are:

• Friday 5th July (Week 10 - Last day of this term)
• Monday 26th August (Week 6)
• Friday 27th September (Week 10 - Last day of Term 3)

Take care and have a wonderful week,

Tony                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Assistant Principal News- Teaching & Learning

Understanding the K-6 Student Report

Why are there changes to the K-6 Student Report?

The NSW Government is reforming the curriculum to streamline and strengthen what is taught in every classroom in NSW, so every student is prepared and ready for their future. The curriculum reform has been informed by consultation with teachers, parents and education experts, and is underpinned by extensive research. Curriculum reform involves changing teaching, learning, assessment and reporting to parents. 

How is English, Mathematics, Religious Education and Other Key Learning Areas reported on?

There is a separate section on the report for English, Mathematics, Religious Education and the Other Key Learning Areas. These sections include:

• A statement that explains the aim of the Key Learning Area.
• An achievement grade for each Focus Area in English and Mathematics. 
• An achievement grade for knowledge and understanding, and skills in Religious Education and the Other Key Learning Areas except for Creative Arts, which is reported on in Strands.

How are achievement grades determined?

Achievement Grades in Kindergarten are identified on a three-point scale using the following descriptors:

• Working Towards
• Working At
• Working Beyond expected achievement.

Stage 1 (Year 1 and Year 2), Stage 2 (Year 3 and Year 4) and Stage 3 (Year 5 and Year 6)

Achievement Grades in Year 1 to Year 6 are identified on a 5 point scale using the descriptors from the Common Grade Scale: The Common Grade Scale describes the performance of students in Year 1 to Year 6 at each of the five grade levels A-E using the following descriptors:

 Extensive (A) - The student has an extensive knowledge and understanding of the content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student has achieved a very high level of competence in the processes and skills and can apply these skills to new situations.

Thorough (B) - The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills to most situations.

Sound (C) - The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills.

Basic (D) - The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a limited level of competence in the processes and skills.

Elementary (E) - The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some of the processes and skills.

Can achievement grades vary from one report to another?

Yes. A variation in achievement grades may occur as a student’s achievement grade is based on what is taught up to the time of writing a Student Report. This means that student achievement can change depending on what a student has been learning and how well a student demonstrates their learning at various points in the year.

How are the Student Report Comments structured?

Student Report Comments reflect the Key Learning Areas on the Student Report. There will be multiple comments:

• English Comment - Areas of Achievement and Growth / Learning Goals
• Mathematics Comment - Areas of Achievement and Growth / Learning Goals
• Key Learning Area Comment - Areas of Achievement and Growth / Learning Goals
• General Comment 

What is the Learner Profile?

The purpose of the Learner Profile is to provide parents with a holistic picture of their child. This includes their learning behaviours and social skills at school. The Learner Profile is an opportunity for teachers to recognise the individual characteristics, strengths and areas for growth of a student. The Learner Profile has two parts:

• student strengths
• student’s area/s for growth

What is Engagement in Learning?

Engagement in Learning indicates the degree of dedication, attentiveness, interaction, responsiveness and curiosity your child shows when they are learning within a particular Key Learning Area. The three standards used to report on student Engagement for Learning are: Commendable, Consistent & Needs Support.

Parents are encouraged to contact us with any questions you have about the K-6 Student Report and ensure that you book an interview early in Term 3 to discuss with your child and their teacher the content of the report.

Enjoy the week ahead!

Vanessa Walters                                                                                                                                                                                                    AP Teaching & Learning

Assistant Principal News- Mission

Parish Family Mass

This Sunday at 9.00 am we have our Whole School Parish Family Mass. We warmly encourage all families to join us to celebrate Mass together and share morning tea afterwards. 

What is a Whole School Parish Family Mass?

During the school term, the fourth Sunday is our whole school Parish Family Mass. This means that the school prepares the slides and staff are actively involved in the celebration of mass through reading, selecting music, organising Children’s Liturgy, reading and hosting morning tea. 

The Parishioners love seeing families come along to these Masses and it is a great way for children to be involved and for families to evangelise their children. We are a Catholic school and it is because of the strength of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish over the last 110 years that our Catholic School has been a place of excellence in Catholic Education. It is so important that we continue to support each other and for the Parish to be visible in our school and for the families of our school to be visible and a part of our Parish. 

What is Children’s Liturgy?

The Children’s Liturgy refers to when the children present at mass leave before the Liturgy of the Word and gather in a separate place where they explore and celebrate the Liturgy of the Word in a way that is more appropriate to their age and level of understanding. Our teachers will often read a Children’s version of the Gospel and engage in questions and answer time about the text before completing a responding activity based on the Gospel. The children return to the mass in time to receive the Eucharist and/or a blessing from Fr Erick. 

We can’t wait to see you all at Mass this Sunday at 9.00 am! 

Kelli-Ann Shedden                                                                                                                                                                                              AP Mission 

From the Wellbeing Team

We all want to fit in

The human desire to belong makes sense when you consider that for most of history, group life and cooperation were vital for the safety and survival of individuals.

These days it is increasingly possible to migrate away from group or communal living and instead lead a more individualistic life. And while modern day folks living more solo existences can get by very well, science continues to find evidence that social exclusion can have a devastating impact on our mental and physical wellbeing.

Real pain

When we are not accepted by a group – be it our community, our family, or our peers – the pain we experience is very similar to physical pain. Even seeing others being excluded or left out can trigger these painful feelings. No wonder solitude has been used for so long and so effectively as a form of punishment.

Power of belonging

Feeling as though we belong not only calms our nervous system but improves our ability to interact socially and to function academically. It boosts our mood, is protective against developing mental health disorders, and even improves our physical health!

At St Brigid’s we promote a culture in which no child should have to feel alone or rejected.

Families can reinforce these behaviours at home too:

Model inclusive behaviours

Empathy and compassion are important social skills that not only help us get along with others, but also encourage us to treat ourselves kindly too.

Share personal experiences

Have a discussion with your family about what it feels like to be excluded. What would have helped when you experienced this feeling? How can we help others if it looks like they are feeling left out?

Discuss the difference between kindly including and actively excluding

Being an includer does not mean having to be best friends with everyone. It’s important for children to learn the difference between undesirable, unkind behaviours such as actively excluding others, and the desirable, compassionate behaviour of including others and making sure everyone feels welcome and safe.

Wellbeing Team

Sports News

Athletics Carnival Friday 28th June 2024 at the Kyogle High Oval.

Please ensure you have given permission via Compass Events App for your child to take part.

For the full program of events click the link below.

Stars of the Week

One of our school goals this year is to have an average weekly attendace of 90% and above. The class with the best average each week receives the  “Stars of the Week” trophy and certificate to display in their classroom.

For Term 2 Week 6 the class with the best average attendance was Kinder with 94.91% 3 weeks in a  row, WOW and the whole school average was 84.95%. 

Remember our whole school goal is 90%. The whole school average weekly attendance for last term is as follows:

Week 1: 86.06% - Yr 4  (91.14%), Year 5 (89.76%), Kinder (87.55%) 

Week2: 86.06% - Yr 6  (94.62%), Year 4 (92.17%), Year 3 (92.05%) 

Week3: 87.88% - Yr4  (91.6%), Year 2 (91.18%), Year 3 (90%) 

Week4: 88.46% - Yr3  (94.5%), Year 6 (93.31%), Year 4 (92.14%) 

Week5: 89.61% - Kinder  (93.13%), Year 6 (92.75%), Year 1 (91.36%) 

Week6: 89.95% - Kinder  (98.17%), Year 6 (9206%), Year 1 (89.88%) 

Week7: 84.95% - Kinder  (94.91%), Year 5 (94.13%), Year 3 (89.44%) 

It is essential that every student is at school every day as attendance matters to support your child's learning.

Attendance Matters

Student Awards Week

Congratulations to the following students who have shown tremendous effort and were presented with their awards at our assembly.

• Kindergarten - Frankie, Eli, oak, Delilah
• Year 1 - Rylie-Jayne, Evi B, Lily, Will 
• Year 2 - Harlow, Raph
• Year 3 - Louise, Lane
• Year 4 - Kobi, Ryder, Caden
• Year 5 - Elsie, Piper
• Year 6 - Wentworth, Belle
• Principal Awards - Lola, Ivy 

Term 2 Week 8 Focus:

Positive Behaviour 4 Learning (PB4L)   

 I am an upstander and know who to talk to about issues at school.                    

MJR Weekly Focus:

A Grateful Heart

Happy Birthday to You

Sending warm wishes to all the children who celebrated their birthdays in the coming week. May your special day be filled with joy and memorable moments! 

Upcoming Dates Term 2

Week 8

• Wed 19th June - School Review  - Parent feedback sessions 2.45pm 
• Thurs 20th June - School Review 
• Fri 21st June - School Review 
• Sun 23rd June - Family Parish Mass 

Week 9

• Thurs 27th June - Year 5 Showcase 2.15pm All welcome  (please not change of date)
• Fri 28th June - St Brigid's Athletics Carnival at the Kyogle High School Oval

Week 10

• Mon 1st July - Semester 1 Reports sent home on Compass
• Tues 2nd July - Athletics Carnival Back Up Day
• Wed 3rd July - Term 2 Rewards Day
• Thurs 4th July - 2025 Kindergarten applications are due; Rug Up Snug Up Day
• Fri 5th July - Staff Development Day (Pupil Free Day)

Community News