Newsletter Term 1 Week 9 (Wednesday 27th March 2024)

Our Front Page with Year 2

Mathematicians 

Year 2 has been learning how to be efficient mathematicians when looking at numbers. Students have been focusing on estimating the number of objects in a collection, representing amounts in many different ways, arranging a collection of objects in different ways to help see the quantity and using familiar structures such as 10 to help quantify a collection without counting by ones to be more efficient in their counting. Here are some of our work samples from our problem solving.

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Acting Principal News

Acting Principal

As we approach the blessed Easter season, we reflect on the profound joy that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ brings into our lives. This time of year, more than any other, invites us to embrace the promise of new beginnings and the enduring hope that comes from Christ’s victory over death.

Easter is the cornerstone of our Catholic faith, reminding us that love triumphs over despair and life over death. It is a season that challenges us to look beyond the immediate, to find joy in God's promises, and to share that joy with others, especially in moments when hope seems most distant.

The joy of the Resurrection is not just a temporary happiness; it is a profound jubilation that comes from knowing that love has conquered. It encourages us not to ignore the sorrows of the world but to face them with hope and courage. As we celebrate Easter, let us also become bearers of this joy. Through acts of kindness, understanding, and forgiveness, we manifest the light of Christ, making His love and hope palpable in our classrooms, our homes, and throughout our community.

This Easter, let's renew our commitment to live out the message of the Resurrection every day. May the joy of this season fill your hearts and homes, inspiring us all to contribute to a world marked by love, peace, and hope.

Easter Story

Today the students presented the Easter story in a respectful and prayerful way that offered lots of opportunities for reflection. I thank all teachers for the effort of learning songs and putting this presentation together and for Mrs Sheddon for leading this presentation. I also would like to thank all parents and carers for the donation of Easter prizes for our Raffle. We had over 50 prizes for the Easter raffle which was drawn today.

Wishing you and your families a blessed Easter season

 Vanessa Walters                                                                                                                                                                               Acting Principal

My New Gallery

Reminder

The last day of term, Friday 12th April will be a pupil free day. Staff will be working with Jessica Rixon on learning KeyNote Sign to further support our students at St. Brigid’s. We appreciate your support by keeping your children home from school on this day.

Assistant Principal News- Mission

SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION:

Tomorrow all of Year Four will be engaging in a Eucharist Retreat in the school hall. They have been learning about the Eucharist and parts of the Mass in Religion lessons and a retreat is a great way to celebrate and consolidate their learning. It is also a great way for Year Four to support Summer, Ella, Danny, Ruby H, Ruby F, Hazel, Morgan, Lilliana, Byron, Fletcher and Harry as they make their final preparations in readiness to receive the Body of Christ for the first time. We thank Mrs Kelly Schneider for preparing and facilitating the retreat. 

The Sacrament of Holy Communion will take place during the Our Lady of Sorrow's Holy Thursday Mass at 7.00pm. Parishioners would like to celebrate these students and the commitment they have made to the Church by hosting a morning tea after mass on the 7th of April. Keep an eye out for more information on this! 

The Holy Thursday mass is the beginning of the Easter Triduum. The Triduum is one mass that begins on Holy Thursday (The Last Supper) and concludes on Easter Sunday. Families will notice that the altar is stripped during Holy Thursday mass and we leave in silence. The Good Friday service also begins in silence. We encouraged families to attend all or a part of the Easter Triduum this year as it really is the most sacred time for our Church. You can find Mass times in our newsletter this week. 

EASTER PRESENTATION: 

Today students presented the Easter story and events of Holy Week through liturgical dance, song and drama. Each class presented a different event and truly did a wonderful job. It is so important for our students to know the events that lead to Jesus’ death and the joy and salvation that His resurrection brings. Thank you to the parents who came along to be our audience. 

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK:

This year, the theme for Catholic Schools week is innovation and faith. We pride ourselves on being a place where the mission of Jesus Christ continues and we promote Catholic Traditions and values whilst delivering an outstanding curriculum to students. We will be celebrating Catholic Schools Week on Wednesday, April 10th and invite families and friends to our liturgy in the school hall at 10.00 am followed by open classrooms and morning tea.

Kelli-Ann Shedden                                                                                                                                                                     Assistant Principal, Mission. 

From the Wellbeing Team

Neighbours Day

As well as being Easter Sunday, this Sunday March 31 is Neighbours Day – a call-to-action day that encourages us all to reach out and connect with others in our communities.

Relationships Australia’s campaign, Create Belonging | Share Belonging, invites everyone to take simple steps to create social connection and foster respectful relationships: think a neighbourhood barbecue, a friendly game of cricket, afternoon tea in the back paddock, or a simple stroll with a neighbour or two.

If you’d like some more ideas about how you can connect with existing and new neighbours, visit neighbourseveryday.org. You’ll also find free resources here, such as invitations and tips about running your event.

 Wellbeing Team

School Fees

As we approach the end of the term, we kindly remind you to settle any outstanding school fees. Timely payment helps us maintain the quality of education and support various activities for our students.

Please ensure all fees are cleared before the end of term to avoid any inconvenience. Should you require any assistance or have concerns regarding fees, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated in ensuring a smooth transition into the new term.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Drop-off zone

As we continue to prioritise safety at our school, we kindly remind everyone about the importance of keeping our drop-off zone clear during morning arrival and afternoon pickup times.

To maintain efficient traffic flow and ensure the safety of everyone, we urge all parents and guardians to follow these guidelines:

🚗 Keep it Moving: Drop off your child swiftly and safely, then proceed on promptly.

🚶‍♂️ Refrain from parking or leaving your vehicle unattended in the drop-off zone. This allows for smooth traffic flow and prevents accidents.

👀 Be Aware of Pedestrians: Keep an eye out for students and staff crossing the drop-off area. Let's work together to keep everyone safe!

By following these simple guidelines, we can create a safer environment for all members of our school community. Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to our students' well-being.

School Community Forum Fundraiser

Our School Community Forum "Fundraising Team"  are seeking support for the catering at the Kyogle Garden Club Flower and Foliage Show to be held on Friday 19th and Saturday 2oth of April. This is the middle weekend of the Easter School Holidays.
We are organising the catering at the Kyogle Garden Show to raise funds for the School Community Forum and we are seeking your support to make this event a success. To do this efficiently, we require helpers who can assist us in 2-hour time slots and donations of food items and supplies would be appreciated.

If you are able to help us, here are some ways you can contribute:

• Help us as a volunteer: We need volunteers who can assist us in 2-hour time slots across both days to help us set up, prepare food, serve customers, and clean up afterward. If you are available to help, please indicate your availability and we will be happy to assign you a time slot that suits you.
• Donate Food Items: We are seeking food items that we can sell at our stall. These could include baked goods, cakes, slices.
• ​Donate Cooking Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Cooking Chocolate, Eggs etc. These can be left at the school office before the 11th April.

Please indicate on the following link School Community Forum Garden Club Helpers

An updated roster will be posted regularly during the next week of school

Many thanks for your anticipated assistance and support with this fundraiser which supports the learning of all of our students.

Good News Stories

Building Skills and Making a Difference

We are very fortunate to have a local man, Mr John Harley come into our school each week to work with two year six students; Noah S and Wentworth B. John’s team has completed odd jobs around the school and recently the boys learned to use a drill to repair a broken hose bracket. The boys also assist John in the school’s vegetable garden. 

We extend our gratitude to John for generously volunteering his time and mentoring Noah and Wentworth, equipping them with valuable life skills for their future.

Gardening is on the go!

John Harley and 15 students dedicated their time and effort to work hard in our school's vegetable garden last Wednesday. They pulled and cleared out weeds to improve the productivity of our garden, and it's wonderful to see our students actively participating in this endeavor. On Friday the students planted sunflower seeds so keep a look out for these beautiful plants. 

Engaging in activities like gardening not only teaches valuable skills such as teamwork, responsibility, and environmental stewardship but also fosters a sense of pride and ownership in the school community. By working together to maintain the garden, students learn the importance of taking care of their surroundings and contributing to the well-being of their school. 

Thank you to John and all my gardeners. I truly appreciate all your help. 

Mrs Morabito

Easter Raffle

We're truly touched by the overwhelming support from those who donated eggs and purchased tickets for our Easter Egg Raffle. Your kindness is not only appreciated but also vital in helping us fundraise for the missions. With over 50 prizes up for grabs, your contributions have made this event even more exciting and rewarding. 

As we celebrate Easter, we extend our warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. May your days be filled with happiness, love, and the joy of giving. Thank you once again for your unwavering support.

Our winners were: 

Sports News

Cross Country Event: Friday, April 5th

Join us for an exciting Cross Country event starting at 9:30 am at the Kyogle High School Oval.

Stay tuned for further details in next week's newsletter. Meanwhile, please ensure your child's participation in this event by signing the consent form available through the Events section on your Compass App.

Let's anticipate a fantastic day brimming with sportsmanship and camaraderie. See you there!

School Photos - Next Thursday 4th April

📸 If you would like sibling photos, envelopes can be collected from the school office.

💳 Payments for the school photos can be made conveniently in two ways! Simply enclose cash or a money order in the provided envelopes and send them back with your child. Alternatively, visit www.theschoolphotographer.com.au to make secure online payments. All the necessary details can be found on your student's envelope.

Uniform Shop

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has generously donated uniforms to our school. Your contributions have made a significant difference and are deeply appreciated.

We are still welcoming further donations of uniforms. By recycling and reusing uniforms, we promote sustainability and reduce our environmental impact.

Additionally, we're pleased to announce that our uniform shop will now be open every Wednesday from 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm. Thank you Michelle for offering to do this.

Thank you once again for your ongoing support and generosity.

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.

Last week the class with the best average attendance was Kindergarten  with 95.6% and the whole school average was 88.7%. Well done Kinder. 

Lets see if we can get the school average up for the last couple of weeks of term. 

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

Week 2: 91.1% - Kindergarten (98.3%), Year 3 (96.4%), Year 1 (94.5%) 

Week 3: 89.7% - Year 6 (95.5%), Year 1 (93.3%), Year 4 (92.9%) 

Week 4: 92% - Year 3 (94.05%), Year 6 (93.4%), Year 2 (93.1%)  Year 4 (92.66%)

Week 5: 89.7% - Year 6 (94.6%), Kindergarten (93.6%), Year 1 (92.8%)

Week 6: 86.9% - Year 1 and Year 3 (91.4%), Year 2 (90.5%), Year 4 (90.1%)

Week 7: 86.9% - Year 3 (95.5%), Year 4(89.4%), Year 6 (88.2%)

Week 8: 88.7% - Kinder (95.6). Yr 4 (95%), Yr 2 (87.6) 

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

Attendance Matters

Being at school regularly helps children develop positive friendships.

School attendance is not only about academic growth but also social and emotional development. Here are several ways in which consistent attendance contributes to the formation of meaningful and supportive peer relationships:

• Shared Experiences. Regular attendance allows children to share common experiences with their peers. Being present in class provides opportunities for shared learning, activities, and interactions, fostering a sense of camaraderie.
• Consistent Social Interaction. Attending school every day provides consistent opportunities for social interaction with classmates. Regular face-to-face interactions contribute to the development of communication skills, empathy, and a sense of belonging.

Building Trust and Reliability. Being present on a regular basis helps children build trust and reliability within their peer group. Dependable attendance creates a sense of predictability, and peers can rely on each other for mutual support and collaboration.

Student Awards Week 8

Congratulations to the following students who have shown tremendous effort and were presented with their awards at our assembly last Friday afternoon:

• Kindergarten - Teddy L, Frankie E, Freya deR and Bridgit H
• Year 1 -  Hazel, Elvii, Harper G, Ayla A and Rylie-Jane R
• Year 2 - Raph H, Aurelia M
• Year 3 - Louise C, Raz A, Jack G
• Year 4 - Landon F, Fletcher CK, Lilliana K 
• Year 5 -  Olive H, Ayce H 
• Year 6 - Lexie, Brooklyn S
• Principal Awards - Frankie L, Kobi N

MJR Awards

 Week 9 Focus: I am a steward of creation

God created the world and everything in it, and He chose us to take care of His creation! Just like how you take care of your toys or pets, we have a responsibility to look after the earth and all the living things on it. We are stewards of creation, which means we are like helpers of God in taking care of His wonderful world. Let's remember to be kind to the earth, to the animals, and to each other, because it's our special job given by God!

Positive Behaviour 4 Learning (PB4L)

Term 1 Week 9 Focus:

I speak respectfully to everyone at all times. 

Happy Birthday to You

Wishing the following children all the very best for their special day this coming week.

Upcoming Dates

Week 9

• 28th - Holy Thursday, First Eucharist 7pm 
• 29th - Good Friday 3pm at our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church
• 30th - Easter Saturday 7pm at our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church

Week 10

• 31st Easter Sunday Mass 10am Kyogle 8am Woodenbong
• 1st - Easter Monday 
• 2nd - R4L Parent information 
• 3rd - St John's Woodlawn open night 
• 4th -  School Photos 
• 5th - Cross Country Carnival 

Week 1

• 7th - 12th  Catholic Schools Week
• 7th - Parish Mass - Morning Tea celebrating Student making First Eucharist  
• 8th - St Mary's College Casino Open Night
• 10th - Catholic Schools week Celebrations 
• 11th - Last day of term for Students 

Community News

Kyogle High School

Parenting Tips

RealTalk - A Free Resource for Parent - helping tackle tricky parenting topics 

Supporting parents in tackling topics such as online behaviour, friendships, concent and many more, this resource is provided free through  the Catholic Schools Parent Assembly.