Term 3, Week 8, 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
At St Saviour's Primary School, our mission is for all students to Strive in Faith, Learning and Life. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) has been a priority here for at least the last six years and provides all stakeholders with an opportunity to Strive in Learning and Life.
Some benefits of STEM include:
- Integrated Learning: STEM isn’t just about teaching these subjects separately; it’s an interdisciplinary approach. Students explore real-world problems by integrating science, technology, engineering, and math. This mirrors how these fields work together in the real world.
- Critical Thinking: STEM encourages critical thinking, logical analysis, and inquiry. Rather than relying solely on text books, students experiment, make mistakes, and learn from their experiences to arrive at the correct outcomes.
- 21st Century Skills: STEM equips students with skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity. It moves beyond basic memorisation to engage them in higher order thinking, such as analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and creating.
- Real-Life Connections: By intertwining STEM with curriculum topics, primary schools create practical, connected learning situations. Students gain knowledge, understanding and skills that prepare them for academic and professional success.
I would consider this as a strength of St Saviour's Primary School and know that our teachers are consistently providing opportunities in STEM for your children in the classroom and also via STEM Clubs.
If this is an area that your child is interested in, integratedSTEM, a local company, are running a program over the Christmas school holidays based on Jurassic Park. Feel free to register below:
Regards,
Sam Hannant
….experiencing FAITH in the Mercy Tradition
Dear families
This weekend we celebrate Father’s Day, an opportunity to express our love and gratitude for the male role models in our life.
At this time of year, I think of my Dad, who passed away 20 years ago now, and there’s not one day since then that I haven’t felt his grace and presence by my side. He was a man of patience, strength, loyalty, and love. He was a great listener, very wise, and demonstrated his strong faith by his words and actions. His dream was always to be a Dad and he was one of the best. I send my prayers to those of you whose Fathers and Father figures have also passed away.
A special prayer for Father’s Day
Loving God, we thank you for the love we receive from those men in our lives who are fathers, grandfathers, uncles and those who are like fathers to us. May we value and respect their generosity and kindness, their love and care, and the time and energy they give us.
We pray that our fathers, and those who are like fathers to us, may reflect your love and care in their words and deeds. Bless all fathers with your abundant love and peace.
We ask this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen
Spring is in the air and with the beginning of a new season, we celebrate the Season of Creation! This 1st September, Day of Creation, also known as Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation or Feast of Creation, opens the Season of Creation 2024. Faith leaders from around the globe will lead this time of prayer and reflection as we celebrate the start of the Season of Creation, on this year’s theme, “To hope and act with Creation”. Our students will be learning about how they can care for creation.
In October, we will celebrate World mission month. During the last couple of weeks, students from our Yr 6 Service Learning group have been participating in the launch of Catholic Missions’ awareness and fundraising program, as part of World mission month, called “Socktober’.
We encourage everyone to celebrate World Mission Month! Together, we have the power to create change and build a more just world for people everywhere. By supporting missionaries in their work, we can create life-changing opportunities for countless children, families and communities worldwide. Join us in making a difference for our sisters and brothers.
What is Socktober?
Socktober for Mission Month cultivates the passion of students to rise up, engage with their local community, and take action against poverty through the world game of soccer. It provides young people in Australia with the opportunity to lead in mission, encouraging them to think not only of what they will do to help but also why they will do it.
Each class will design and create a soccer ball by only using socks, plastic bags and string. It is a simple and creative way to bring people together through sport by sharing a simple item that represents a soccer ball. Classes will test the durability of their “sockballs” during our Mercy Day and Grandparent’s day after Mass on Thursday 10th October.
ROSIES TOOWOOMBA NEEDS YOUR HELP Rosies is now recruiting (adults and students aged 16 yrs and over) outreach volunteers to commence a new street outreach on Tuesday nights between 5.30pm and 9.30pm. If you have 4 hours to spare monthly or fortnightly and would like to help our friends on the street as an outreach volunteer, please visit https://rosies.org.au/charity/toowoomba/
For all queries, please email toowoomba@rosies.org.au or call 0499 111 730.
When was the last time you donated blood? As a staff, we’re going to come together to make a donation each term. What a great way to be of service to others! Please consider making yourself a booking so you can contribute to this life saving service. The Australian Red Cross Blood Bank is right opposite our school in Ruthven St so you may be able to make a donation after drop off or before pick up.
Date claimers
Term 3
Week 8 Friday 30th August – Student free day and Staff PD (CTJ - Consistent Teacher Judgement)
Week 10 Thursday 12th September – End of term Mercy value awards assembly 8.45am
Term 4
Week 2 Thursday 10th October – 9am Whole school Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral to celebrate Mercy day and Grandparent’s Day with open classrooms
Week 4 Friday 25th October – Day for Daniel fundraiser – gold coin donation and wear red
Enjoy a great week and thanks for reading.
Ann-Maree Ward
Assistant Principal – Mission & Identity
As we head into the back end of the term students are working hard to demonstrate and apply their understandings, and teachers are considering where students are at in their learning journeys. Over the last few weeks teachers have met with members of the leadership team as well as our Toowoomba Catholic Schools Education Officer Kara Locke, to analyse and investigate student achievement. These meetings are valuable ways for our teachers to collaboratively discuss individual and cohort results as well as pinpoint areas for focus moving forward into Term 4.
This Friday, the 30th of August while students have a Pupil Free Day, teachers will be engaging in professional learning. Teachers will be joining three other schools in the diocese to share and discuss their planning, teaching and assessment connected to their English Units of work for the term. They will also discuss the journey the schools have taken in adapting to the changes of the Version 9 curriculum, in particular, in relation to reading and spelling.
Finally, teachers have been preparing for Parent Teacher Interviews that will be conducted on Thursday the 5th of September, from 1.30-7pm. There may also be times outside of this day during this week that a teacher will offer to parents. Please sign into sentral to find the information you need to book an interview. This is a great opportunity to catch up with your child's teacher to share any wonderings or important information, as well as discuss how they are travelling at school.
These are just three examples of the value we place on student academic outcomes as we 'strive in learing' at St Saviour's.
Enjoy the warmer weather over the weekend and Happy Father's Day to all the Fathers and Father Figures of our community.
Striving in learning…..
Over the past two weeks, I have had the opportunity to visit classrooms across our school and witness the exceptional work of our teachers and different learning experiences happening in our classrooms.
As part of our ongoing commitment to improving educational practices and supporting professional development, leadership visit each classroom on many occasions to provide feedback to teachers and gather student voices on what they are learning and how they think they are going with their learning.
Teachers have been busy this year adapting to Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum and during my classroom visits it has been wonderful to witness high levels of student engagement, activities tailored to meet the needs of our diverse learners, opportunities for students to lead discussions and share their own insights, and clear routines in place for all students.
This is a testament to our teachers and the great work and dedication they show towards all our students on a daily basis to see our students strive in Faith, Learning and Life. I would like to thank our teachers for their dedication and hard work in creating positive learning environments for all our students.
ICAS
Congratulations to all students who have completed ICAS testing this term in Maths and English. These students have demonstrated their higher order thinking skills and shown our learning qualities of ‘be determined’ and ‘be a thinker’, when completing these online tests. We await their results, predicted to be available in Term 4.
Kind regards,
Bec Thomas
Next week, we are looking forward to welcoming Liam Cantwell to the SSPS team. Liam will be joining us in a school officer role, primarily working in Year 5 for the remainder of 2024.
Liam is currently studying a Bachelor of Education and is working at various after school care sites within Toowoomba. His interests are mainly within sport and he currently enjoys playing rugby league on the weekends for a local Toowoomba team. Welcome Liam.
In Term 4, we will welcome back Mrs Katie Horne to St Saviour’s Primary after a secondment to Sacred Heart as an Assistant Principal: Religious Education. Katie will commence at the beginning of Term 4 at 4 days a week teaching the Year 3B class. Mrs Katrina Bennett will continue to teach 3B on a Friday which will allow for continuity for the students and for a thorough handover to take place.
Mrs Rachel Kelly will move into the music position on a Wednesday and Thursday next Term which will allow her to teach music to the whole school. Fortunately, Mrs Katrina Bennett has accepted the position to teach 3K for these two days. Again, this will allow for a seamless transition for the 3K students as Katrina is a familiar face who is also teaching another Year 3 class. Congratulations again to Rachel for taking on and doing a fantastic job as the music teacher at SSPS and thanks to Katrina for your flexibility to teach two year 3 classes in Term 4.
Darling Downs Athletics Carnival
On Tuesday, 20th of August, St Saviour’s students represented the Central Zone Team at the Darling Downs Carnival. They did extremely well with four students making the Darling Downs Team who will now compete at the State Championships. Emily Carrigan broke the record for 11 Year Discus throwing 31.90m. Kenn Corpuz won gold in 80m, 200m and Long Jump, winning the Michael Vaughan Most Outstanding Male Athlete.
The following students made the Darling Downs Team.
- Samuel Abot (100m, 200m)
- Adelaide Adams (100m, 100m Relay)
- Joseph Black (Tetrathlon)
- Emily Carrigan (Shot Put, Discus)
Congratulations to everyone on a fantastic carnival.
School Sport
Congratulations to Rose Stead who competed in National Schools Cross Country meet in Victoria, placing 32nd overall on a challenging course. The Queensland 12-year-old girls' group took out the silver medal for best team finish in the race. Fantastic effort Rose, you are a superstar.
Zone and Darling Downs Trials
All Zone and Darling Downs trials will be placed on Parent Portal. Please check Parent Portal regularly or set up notifications on your phone if you wish for your child to be eligible to trial for Zone and Darling Downs sporting teams as you will be required to obtain paperwork from myself. I am unable to nominate students after the closing date so please make sure you do keep an eye on Parent Portal. Any questions, please contact me at brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au.
Upcoming Events (Term Three)
- AFL AusKick (Thursday 25th July – 5th September, 3:15-4:15)
- Friday Sport (Friday 2nd August – 6th September, 11 – 1:45)
- Touch Football Gala Day (Year 4) (Tuesday 10th September 2024)
Cheers
Brendan Luck
HPE Teacher
Book Week Celebrations
What fun costumes and book-based activities we enjoyed last Tuesday to mark the annual Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book Week!
Thank you to all the families and staff for preparing and participating so heartily in our character dress-up. I hope you enjoyed the shared photos.
Take a look at how our wonderful office staff got into the spirit of "Possum Magic"
Our library-based activities included; a student led magic show, creating a paper garden, emoji book titles and decorated magician's hat to guess our favourite book.
Prep -Year 2 Library Lessons
Our remaining Term 3 lessons will explore the features of Non-Fiction texts.
Family Book Club
We are moving on with our Term 4 book, "Night Ride into Danger" by Jackie French. Please consider reading this book as a family at home and joining in our chat in the middle of Term 4. Students may be familiar with this title as it has been a read aloud in some classrooms in the past. Check out the book details at;
Night Ride into Danger by Jackie French | Goodreads
Lunch-time Art Group
Year 6 student Georgina Sullivan is leading drawing sessions in the library during lunch-time activities on Monday (Year 1-3) and Tuesday (Year 4-6) in Term 4. The first session took place during Book Week with the students drawing their version of a tree.
Volunteers
We say a huge thank you to Merryl Nunn and Donna Enders for their covering work this term. Special shout out to Donna who gives her time to the smooth running of Scholastic Book Club each term.
Do these books belong in your home?
Keep reading up the magic at your place!
Anne Anderson
Teacher Librarian
St Saviours Primary School Toowoomba (accessit.online)
CARTOON WORKSHOP ON HOLIDAYS? IMAGES IN DOWNLOADS 19.8.2024