Newsletter Term 1 Week 4 (Wednesday 26th February 2025)

Front Page with Year 1

Year 1 are the best HANDS DOWN!

We have begun the year strong in Mathematics. We have such a good understanding of patterns and can identify an AB pattern core that we now extend ourselves into creating and explaining growing patterns. 

Our Gospel Reflection

Luke 6:39-45

‘Wars begin from the tongue’, says Pope Francis. Reflecting on today’s Gospel passage, he draws our attention to the importance of choosing our words carefully, lest they become ‘bad fruit’. He also reminds us that words can be destructive. If we are ‘grumbling, gossiping, speaking ill of others’, he says, then we are engaging in activity that ‘destroys the family, destroys school, destroys the workplace, destroys the neighbourhood.’
Commenting on how words can amplify attitudes, the Pope wants us to remember that ‘through our tongue we can also feed prejudices, raise barriers.’ This is especially true online. Stressing that these days ‘words travel fast’, the Pope remarks that ‘too many of them convey anger and aggression, feed false news and take advantage of collective fears to propagate distorted ideas.’ Christians should ‘be reflective, not reactive’ when engaging with other people online. We should always ‘be mindful of posting and sharing content that can cause misunderstanding, exacerbate division, incite conflict, and deepen prejudices.’ We should look for those digital splinters that might be distorting our own perspectives before we jump online to accost others. Ultimately, the Pope wants us to remember that our words always affect another person.

From Our Acting Principal

I would like to thank all those parents and carers who were able to make it to our Meet & Greet and Safe on Social presentation by Kirra Pendergast last Thursday. It was a good opportunity to meet your child’s class teacher and hear about the plans and organisation for the year ahead. The added component of the Safe on Social presentation outlined how technology is changing so quickly. It is important for parents and carers to feel educated, empowered and informed when it comes to online safety. Kirra offered  practical solutions to help us keep our children safe online. I also appreciated Kirra’s generous donation of a parent support tool. As soon as I have access to this portal, I will share it with everyone.

I also congratulate the White family who won the raffle for $200 discounted from their fees.

School Annual Improvement Plan 2025

Our School Annual Improvement Plan for this year falls under 4 Domains. Please see these domains and the outcomes below. These outcomes will form the direction of our planning, professional learning and main focus throughout 2025

Enlivening Catholic Identity
Implement best-practice religious education that meets all students' needs through focused curriculum delivery and RE formation.

Thriving Learners
Uplift student engagement, and wellbeing through optimal learning environments to meet all students needs in their learning journey.

Engaged Communities
Explore innovative ways to enhance the engagement of families in their children’s learning, social and behavioural progress through a process of consultation.

Sustainable Futures
Enhance staff well-being by fostering a learning culture that minimises risks, creating a safer and more supportive workplace.

We look forward to partnering with families to bring these goals to life in 2025.

Three Way Interviews
Our 3 Way Interviews (Student, Parent & Teacher) will take place in Week 8 across Tuesday 25th,  Wednesday 26th & Thursday 27th March. These interviews are an integral form of school and home working together, to ensure the success of every learner here at St Brigid's. Further information including an online booking form will be sent through Compass.

Have a wonderful week ahead!

Vanessa Walters,
Acting Principal.

Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching

Welcome to Week 4 of the 2025 school year at St Brigid’s Kyogle! This week I would like to give an appreciation - to all teachers and teacher assistants at St Brigid’s. The staff at St Brigid’s are a dedicated and supportive group of people who go over and beyond to fulfil the school vision ‘to enhance the wellbeing and success of every learner’. I want to thank them for everything they do and encourage you to do the same when you have the opportunity. Teachers have a significant impact on student learning and in partnership with you your child is well supported.

NAPLAN Information for Parents and Carers
NAPLAN dates (Year 3 & 5):

Why do students do NAPLAN?
NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through the school curriculum and allows parents/carers to see how their child is progressing against national proficiency standards.

Why do students do NAPLAN?
Students are not expected to study for NAPLAN. You can support your child by letting them know that NAPLAN is a part of their school program and reminding them to simply do their best. Some explanation of NAPLAN is useful to help students understand and be comfortable with the format of the tests; however, it is not necessary for parents/carers to do this. Teachers will ensure students are familiar with the types of questions in the tests and will provide appropriate support and guidance.

How is my child’s performance reported?
From 2023, NAPLAN results are reported against proficiency standards. There is a standard for each assessment area at each year level. Proficiency standards provide clear information on student achievement. They are set at a challenging but reasonable level expected of the child at the time of NAPLAN testing, based mainly on what has been taught in previous years of schooling.

Student achievement is shown against 4 levels of proficiency: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support.

Should you have any questions or require support, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Samantha Lynch,
Assistant Principal – Learning and Teaching

Assistant Principal - Mission

Shrove Tuesday Donations Needed! 

We are seeking donations of cooked purple pancakes, eggs, self-raising flour, or pancake mix to help us celebrate Shrove Tuesday. If you can donate, please drop items off at the school office by Monday, 3rd March.

Wear a Purple Accessory for Project Compassion! 

To kick-start our Caritas Project Compassion fundraising for Lent, students and staff are invited to wear a purple accessory (e.g., hair clip, scrunchie, bangle, ribbon) on Tuesday the 4th of March.

If wearing an accessory, please bring a gold coin donation—all funds raised will go towards Project Compassion, supporting those in need.

Thank you for your generosity and support! 

Breakfast Club – Nourishing Bodies and Hearts

At St Brigid’s, our Breakfast Club is more than just a meal—it is an opportunity to live out the values of Jesus Christ through service, compassion, and care for one another. Jesus often shared meals with others, using food as a way to bring people together and to ensure that no one was left hungry or excluded. Inspired by His example, we offer Breakfast Club as a way to support those who need it most, ensuring that every child has the nourishment they need to start the day ready to learn. This year we are fortunate to have breakfast club funded by the Kyogle Rotary Club. 

Breakfast Club Guidelines

To ensure that Breakfast Club is available for those who truly need it and runs smoothly, we ask all students and families to follow these simple guidelines:

• Only attend if you haven’t had breakfast at home – This helps us provide for those who need it most.
• Sit at the table while eating – This encourages respect and community.
• Return bowls to the canteen – Helping to clean up is part of our shared responsibility.
• No bowls to go into classrooms – Keeping our learning spaces clean and focused.
• One bowl of cereal OR two pieces of toast per student – Ensuring there is enough for everyone.

By working together and following these expectations, we can continue to make Breakfast Club a welcoming and supportive space, living out Jesus’ call to love and serve one another.

Courtney Hyde,
Assistant Principal – Mission

Wellbeing Team

Social and Emotional Wellbeing - Key to Health 

The value of social and emotional learning has a growing body of evidence supporting it as an essential component of children's learning.  It promotes positive social relationships, reduces the incidences of bullying, improves academic learning outcomes and promotes positive mental health outcomes long into adulthood.  The Australia Institute of Health and Welfare reports that Children’s social and emotional wellbeing, which is how they think and feel about themselves and others, and deal with daily challenges is 1 component of mental health and wellbeing that can be developed.  

Socially and emotionally competent children:

• are confident
• have good relationships
• communicate well
• do better at school
• take on and persist with challenging tasks
• develop the necessary relationships to succeed in life.

Social and emotional intelligence is of great significance in personal and community life from a Catholic perspective. It fosters authentic relationships, supports personal and communal growth, and aligns with the Church's mission to promote love, respect, and solidarity among all people. By nurturing these forms of intelligence, individuals and communities can better reflect the love of Christ and contribute to the common good, ultimately fulfilling their divine calling to live in communion with one another and with God.

I have attached a list of books that can help develop social and emotional intelligence and below are a number of websites that offer strategies or more information - 

• GAMES 
• Five areas of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
• Emotions and Play

Megan Ritchie,
School Counsellor - megan.ritchie@lism.catholic.edu.au

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.

One of our school goals this year is to have an average weekly attendance 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.

Term 1 Attendance 

COMPASS - Entering Attendance

Submitting an Absence Note via Compass

1. Open the Compass app and tap the blue Shortcuts button (+) on the bottom of the homepage.
2. Select the child (submit a separate note for each child if needed).
3. Tap Submit Attendance Note and choose a reason (6 options available).
4. Enter details (minimum 10 characters in the comment field).
5. Set the start & end date of the absence.
6. Attach any relevant documents (if needed).
7. Tap Add Attendance Note to confirm—you’ll receive a notification.

Where possible, submit attendance notes before the absence or lateness occurs.

Positive Behaviour 4 Learning (PB4L)

Making Jesus Real (MJR)

Flower & Foliage Spectacular Event

Our next big event, the Flower & Foliage Spectacular, is fast approaching on April 11th & 12th. We are encouraging everyone to get involved and help make it a great success! If you’d like to lend a hand, please sign up HERE.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes: 

• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to: 

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disabilities.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).

If you have any questions about the NCCD, please reach out and contact the school.

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 in Week 3.

Calendar

School Calendar Access

You can find the school calendar in the Compass app by tapping the calendar icon at the bottom of the homepage. Alternatively, access it via our website HERE

Please always refer to the calendar for updates, as changes may occur.

Parish News

Parish Information
Our Lady of Sorrows Parish established 1916. Our Parish Family includes the town of Kyogle and the villages of Urbenville and Woodenbong.
Administrator: Fr Erick Quinteros | Phone: 0438 196 944 | Parish Office Phone: 02 6632 1074 | Email: kyogle@lismore.catholic.org.au | Facebook: @OurLadyofSorrowsCatholicChurch

Service Times
Kyogle Weekday Masses: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9am. Please note that this schedule is subject to change. Saturday Vigil 6:00pm | Sunday 9:00am.
The Woodenbong Communion Service and Mass alternate every Saturday at 9 am. The Sacrament of Reconciliation begins 30 minutes prior to Mass. Morning tea is served every Sunday after Mass, hosted by the parishioners. Everyone is welcome!

We are on Facebook! Click here for Our Lady of Sorrows Facebook Page  

The Jubilee Year of Hope Bishop Greg’s Lenten Talk series will be held at 6pm on Mondays at St Mary’s Chapel. Up coming dates are listed in the poster.

ASPIRE ~ Young Adults Spiritual Formation with Bishop Greg, for those aged 18-35 years. For further information contact Sr Di, CM 0405327153 Email youth@lismore.catholic.org.au

Community News

Welcome to the first edition of Parent Talk for 2025. Click here to view the Latest Edition of Parent Talk!

Webinars

Upcoming Term 1 free webinars for parent and carers. These are great opportunities to up your skills so that you can support your child's learning at home and at school. Can't wait to see you online!

Holy Family Skennars Head are hosting a parent workshop with Angela Lockwood Parenting in the Age of Distraction on Tuesday, March 4th. All parents and caregivers are warmly invited to attend.  

Parent Resources

Free online resources available that provide support year-round, even when other services are closed during the holiday period:

For Parents

Triple P Parenting is an evidence-based program and all parents and carers of children under 12 can access one year of support for free here: https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/au/free-parenting-courses/triple-p-online-under-12/

Choose from general parenting support or support specifically for parents/carers of anxious children.

Parentline NSW is a free telephone counselling and support service for parents and carers of children up to 18 years of age. The phone line – 1300 1300 52 – is manned by a team of trained professional counsellors from 9am to 9pm Mondays to Fridays and 4pm to 9pm on weekends. https://www.parentline.org.au/

For Children and Young People

Kids’ Helpline – 1800 55 1800 – is a free, 24/7 service available to children and young people aged from five to 25. Support is available via telephone or webchat. There are also a variety of resources online: www.kidshelpline.com.au

Headspace – 1800 650 890 – is Australia’s national youth mental health foundation, and provides mental health services to 12 to 25-year-olds in person, online and via phone. There are also a lot of resources available on the website https://headspace.org.au/

For Mental Health Crises

The NSW Mental Health Line – 1800 011 511 – is a free, 24/7 phone service that you can call if you are worried about your own or someone else’s mental health. The number is staffed by trained professionals who can offer mental health advice, complete brief assessments, make recommendations for appropriate care, and refer callers to other NSW Health mental health services. Some of the reasons that callers may contact the Mental Health Line include (but are not limited to):

- changes in mood that are worrying to you or others
- significant changes in personal hygiene or motivation
- difficulties with concentration
- confusion about what is real and what is not
- feelings of panic or intense anxiety
- thoughts or actions of hurting yourself or ending your life
- thoughts of harming someone else

Online Safety Basics (From www.esafety.gov.au) 

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
NSW Government Facebook Page