Newsletter Term 3 Week 1 (Wednesday 24th July 2024)

Front Page NAIDOC Celebrations

We had a fantastic NAIDOC Day celebration, filled with engaging activities. A heartfelt thank you goes to Uncle Andrew for his moving Smoking Ceremony, which connected us deeply to Indigenous traditions and our land.

Congratulations to the winners of the Colouring Competition

Kindergarten: Sophie
Stage 1: Aurelia
Stage 2: Ryder
Stage 3: Emmelyn

Runners Up
Kindergarten: Logan & Harvey
Stage 1: Zion
Stage 2: Byron
Stage 3: Millea

Our Gospel Reflection

John 6:1-15 - Jesus feeds five thousand

Pope Francis draws our attention to the boy’s role in today’s Gospel passage. He ‘makes us think’, the Pope says. ‘His compassion moved him to offer what he had.’
There is no suggestion in the Gospel that the loaves and fish were forcibly taken from the boy. Rather, it is implied that they were his gift. An act of human charity is, therefore, a key element in Jesus’ miracle.
Another noteworthy factor is Jesus’ sense of priority. This episode, the Pope points out, ‘shows us again that Jesus is attentive to people’s primary needs’. This has implications for we who seek to follow him.
After all, the boy was discovered because Jesus prompted his disciples to think about how they could feed the crowd. As the Pope says, ‘the people were hungry and Jesus engaged his disciples so that this hunger could be satisfied.’
While Jesus offered the crowd much more than food – ‘his Word, his solace, his salvation, ultimately his life’ – he did not neglect their physical needs. ‘And we, his disciples, cannot ignore this’, the Pope affirms. We are called to follow the example of Jesus, his apostles, and the boy with a few loaves and fish. We must not turn our backs on the people or retreat from the world. We must face up to the reality we find – and do what we can.

From Our Acting Principal

Welcome back to Term 3! 

I hope everyone had a restful break and that you were able to get out and about to enjoy the holidays with your families.

This term is already shaping up to be a busy one with the children taking part in a variety of activities to complement the wonderful work happening within the classrooms of St Brigid's. Today we celebrated NAIDOC Day, beginning with a Smoking Ceremony and Liturgy before the students moved off into groups to do beading, play indigenous games, taste kangaroo stew and face paint. A big thank you to Uncle Andrew and Mrs Stacey Wimble for the organisation and effort that went into this wonderful day.

GREEN & GOLD DAY - Next Friday 2nd August, we will be celebrating the beginning of the Paris Olympics by hosting our own mini Olympics starting at 12.20pm. Students are invited to wear a green or gold shirt with their sport shorts and shoes. 

NAPLAN RESULTS - Students in Year 3 & 5 will take home their Naplan Report in a sealed envelope tomorrow.  The report will show four proficiency standards (Needs Additional Support, Developing, Strong and Exceeding) that are used across Numeracy, Reading, Writing, Spelling and Grammar & Punctuation. These proficiency standards describe what students are expected to know and should be able to do in Literacy & Numeracy at the time of NAPLAN. 

If you have any further questions, please contact your child's teacher. Your child's teacher can provide insight into how your child's NAPLAN result relates to their other school-based assessments and classroom learning, and any additional support your child might require.

ICAS ASSESSMENTS - If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please click on the link below and it will provide you with all the information needed to pay for the assessments. After payment is made via the Parent Payment System, you will receive an order confirmation email, please keep this for your records. We will notify you of the date(s) that we run ICAS at St Brigid’s. The cut off date for payment for these assessments is Monday 29th July.

STAFFING UPDATE - We will be saying goodbye to Miss Davis at the end of Week 2 as she commences her maternity leave. We wish Emma and Sam all the very best on the upcoming birth of their “little ones” and the joy that this brings. We welcome Mrs. Erin Anderson and Mrs. Kayla Farrell who have been appointed as the Year 2 classroom teachers from the commencement of Week 3.  Erin is an experienced teacher who has worked at St Brigid’s in a variety of roles and year levels throughout her teaching career. She will teach Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Kayla has worked at St. Brigid’s since graduating and has returned to the school after Maternity leave. She will teach the class on Thursday and Friday.    I congratulate Erin and Kayla on their appointment. 

100 DAYS OF KINDERGARTEN - Next Tuesday 30th of July,  we congratulate the students and staff of our Kindergarten class as they celebrate their first 100 days of school. The Kindergarten students are invited to come dressed as an ‘older person’, to highlight the fact that 6 is by far a smaller number than 60 or 70. There will be a gathering with students and their parents in the evening from 5.30pm - 7pm  which will acknowledge this milestone and include games and a shared dinner.

The Kindergarten children are also collecting non-perishable food items that will be delivered to the Kyogle Food Bank. The goal is to reach 100 items to donate, all members of our school community are kindly invited to add to this very important collection.

2025 ENROLMENTS -   Enrolments for 2025  are currently being finalised, particularly for Kindergarten. If you know of anyone intending to join the St Brigid's community for 2025, please ask them to get their enrolment applications in as our staffing allocation will be based on our enrolments at Census which occurs at the beginning of August. 

I wish everyone a wonderful week ahead and I look forward to connecting with families at our Grandparent’s Day on Friday.

Vanessa Walters,
Acting Principal

Assistant Principal - Teaching & Learning

Welcome back to all families to what is shaping up to be a busy Term 3. It is such a joy to see so many happy faces return to school and the excitement students display when they greet their friends and teachers of a morning. The students have settled in beautifully to their classes. As I walk around the classrooms, it is so lovely to see the children so engaged in their learning.

Next week teachers, students and parents will be having a ‘3-way Parent-Teacher-Student' conference. One of the key aspects of this process is the valuable contribution of the student learner and their voice in their learning feedback. You may be asking yourself ‘why?’ Here are the research-based reasons for why your child should attend their 3-way conference. 

1. Open communication & Collaboration – parent-student-teacher interviews provide a valuable platform for open communication and collaboration between all stakeholders involved in your child's education. They enable you, as parents/guardians, to share vital insights about your child's strengths, challenges, and aspirations. Simultaneously, teachers can offer personalised feedback on your child's progress, academic achievements, and areas where additional support may be needed. 

2. Ownership of Learning - by attending the conferences, your child takes ownership of their learning journey. They explain firsthand knowledge of their progress, strengths, and areas that may require improvement. This empowers them to actively engage in setting goals and working towards achieving their academic potential. 

3. Active Participation: during the conferences, your child has the opportunity to contribute to discussions about their education. They can share their thoughts, goals, and challenges with both you and their teacher, fostering a sense of agency and accountability in their learning process. 

4. Strengthening Relationships: attending the interviews allows your child to build stronger relationships with their teacher and yourself as parents/guardians. This open line of communication cultivates trust, which is essential for creating a supportive learning environment. Your child will feel more comfortable reaching out for help, sharing concerns, and seeking guidance when needed. 

5. Recognising Growth and Celebrating Achievements: the conference provides a platform for celebrating your child's growth and achievements, big or small. It is an opportunity to acknowledge their hard work and perseverance, boosting their self-esteem and motivation. 

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to your child's education. Together, we can create a strong foundation for their future achievements and truly empower them for success.

Annika Dicker,
Assistant Principal - Teaching & Learning

Assistant Principal - Mission

GRANDPARENTS DAY

We are excited to celebrate the special grandparents in our lives on Friday. Celebrations begin in the Church at 12.00 pm. After mass, grandparents and visitors are invited to have a BYO shared lunch with their family on school grounds, all children will be eating at first half lunch. The book fair will be open in the hall with a huge range of affordable books. Tea and coffee will be served from the hall. 
The best place to park would be along Summerland Way. We look forward to seeing you all there! 

SAVE THE DATES

This term, our Whole School Family Parish masses are on Sunday, 18th August at 9.00 am with morning tea to follow and Saturday 14th September at 5.00 pm with a pizza dinner provided for families afterwards. We have a wonderful community here at St Brigid’s and our masses are a wonderful opportunity for us to gather and socialise while supporting the faith journey of your child. 

Wellbeing Team

Do it yourself!

Is this something you hear yourself saying to your kids? If so, congratulations!

The process of gaining independence is a vital part of child development and something that parents should actively encourage (in a safe and developmentally appropriate way).
A growing body of research supports the notion that encouraging independence in children is associated with greater self-confidence, better resilience, increased ability to solve problems, and less mental health difficulties.
And an article published in this month’s Journal of Anxiety Disorders (volume 105) supports the promotion of independence as a treatment for child anxiety. 
Authors Camilo Ortiz and Matthew Fastman studied the impact of Independence Activities (IAs) – child-directed, fun, unstructured and developmentally challenging tasks performed without the help of parents – on child anxiety. After a five-week program in which IAs were assigned and followed, they found medium-to-large improvements in child anxiety and avoidance, a reduction in parent and child behaviours that were maintaining anxiety, and an increase in child happiness.
It makes sense. The ultimate goal of all parents is for kids to eventually function independently.

What are some ways that you can promote independence in your children today?

Wellbeing Team

Sports News

Following on from our School Athletics Carnival last term, students have been selected to compete in the Richmond Zone Athletics Carnival on Thursday 1st August at St John's College Woodlawn. The day commences at 8.30 am. Parents will need to organise transport for this event, consent is required via Compass by Friday, 26 July.

Yours in sport,
Lee Love.

Community Forum

The Community Forum has had a great start to the year, the support and sharing of ideas through the forum is forever growing and we are proud to say we have had some great accomplishments already. The uniform shop is open every week on Wednesdays from 2.45 pm -3.45 pm during the school term. Our wonderful class parents have been busy creating group chats to strengthen communications and engagement and we thank you for volunteering for this important role within our school community. The fundraising team had great success supporting the Flower Show earlier in the year and are now happy to share that they have secured a date for a BBQ Fundraiser at Bunnings! More details to follow on this soon.

Nominate us today and help us generate extra funds for our school. What do you need to do?
1. Download or update the Ritchies Card App.
2. Search and select our name when prompted to nominate a club, school or charity.
3. Every time you shop at Ritchies and scan your app or card, Ritchies will contribute a percentage of the total to us.

Community Forum Meetings are held in the school library Week 3 and Week 7 during the school term from 3:30pm.
Term 3 dates: Tuesday 6th August 3:30pm | Tuesday 3rd September 3:30pm | Email: stbrigidsforum@gmail.com

Attendance Matters

Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school and themselves. Help your child to learn that going to school on time, every day is important.

Reinforcing the idea that attending school regularly is crucial for a positive school experience. Foster a love for learning by encouraging your child's natural curiosity. 

Help your child to see school as a place to explore new ideas, discover interests, and develop a lifelong passion for learning. Foster positive social connections at school by encouraging friendships. Knowing that they have friends to look forward to can motivate children to attend school regularly.

Term 2 Attendance Results

Positive Behaviour 4 Learning (PB4L)

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) is a whole school program that actively promotes positive behaviour. It enables students to develop a clear understanding of required expectations, become responsible for their own behaviour and work together to create a positive, productive and harmonious learning community. 

Celebrations

You shine with the Light of the Lord —the kind of Light that grows brighter and warmer and more radiant with time. God bless you with a very happy birthday!

Congratulations to the following students who have shown tremendous effort and were presented with their awards at our assembly Week 10.

Important Dates

A reminder that Grandparents Day begins at Our Lady of Sorrows Church at 12 pm, please be seated by 11:55 am. After Mass, we will all enjoy a BYO shared lunch on our school grounds and the canteen will be open, serving tea and coffee!

SHOWCASE DATES FOR TERM 3

Parish News

Our Lady of Sorrows Parish established 1916. Our Parish Family includes the town of Kyogle and the villages of Urbenville and Woodenbong. Our Parish Priest is Fr Erick Quinteros, Mass Times our Saturday 5:00 pm | Sunday 9:00 am.
Morning Tea is served every Sunday after Mass hosted by the parishioners. 
Parish Office Phone: 02 6632 1074 | Email: kyogle@lismore.catholic.org.au

Upcoming Dates for July

During Fr Erick's annual leave from August 5th to August 30th, there will only be Sunday 9am Mass. There will be no 5pm Vigil Mass on Saturday 10th, 17th & 24th.

Community News

We invite you to join us for our performance on Monday, August 5th at 12pm in the Kyogle Memorial Hall.

Parent Resources

Because we value the critical role parents and carers play as partners in educating and forming young people, we have compiled some helpful resources to support families at home.

Educational Games

Toy Theatre | Educational Games for Kids
Math Games
Hidden Pictures Games and Puzzles

Quick Links

St Brigid's Facebook Page
Parent Assembly Facebook Page
Supporting Learning - Primary
Faith and Family
Tips for Parents – Supporting your Childs attendance at School