Week 1, Term 2, 2021

Dear Parents, Staff, Students and Community members

Welcome back to Term 2.  

Over the coming weeks, there will also be several important whole school events.  I encourage parents to use the schoolzine App and other platforms to keep up to date on what is happening at SSPS.  I look forward to seeing you at these events and the many activities that occur throughout the term.

All prospective families, there's a place waiting for you!

We are delighted that you are considering an education at St Saviour's Primary School (SSPS) for your family. There can be no greater privilege than being able to shape the character and skills of future generations.

SSPS is an exceptional school for boys and girls. The rich tapestry of our history spans more than 157 years, with the school and exceptional facilities hosting a broad range of curricular, co-curricular and religious offerings tailored to each student.

For all enrolment information, to request a school tour or to discuss beginning your child’s SSPS Journey, please contact the Enrolments Office on 46 371700  or email ssps@twb.catholic.edu.au

PREP 2022 INTERVIEWS

Next week members of the school leadership team will begin interviews for 2022 Prep learners.  Places are closing quickly so don’t miss out.

See details above to contact the school office to secure your interview.

NAPLAN

Early this term, 11-14 May, all Year  3 and 5 learners will participate in the NAPLAN tests. This year will be the third year that St Saviour’s learners sit the test using the online platform. Parents interested in learning more about the online test format should view the public demonstration site “HERE” . These tests are important indicators for our learners and will provide useful feedback for teachers and parents. Our learners will be well prepared for these tests, with Term 1 units supporting the skills and knowledge required, particularly for the writing task. We will continue to prepare the boys and girls for the tests next term with practice sessions using the same formats for questions and further skill development to assist all in feeling confident for the tests. Year 3 and 5 parents should avoid making appointments for your child during this testing period.

Staffing Updates

Our school is a dynamic workplace with fifty staff. With such a large staff, there are regular changes resulting from leave for various reasons or new positions. This week we welcomed back Mrs Smith and Miss Kynoch after their time away.  It was wonderful to have them back amongst the fold.  

Although we welcomed Miss Kynoch back unfortunately, we have been advised that she needs a few extra weeks of recovery.  In her absence, Mrs Siobhan Grundon and Chelsea O'Reilly will job share the class over the next two weeks.  I thank these teachers in advance for their willingness and flexibility in supporting the children of 3K in their learning.  

We welcome to our administration team, Mrs Alex Sleba to support both Julie and Jodie as we adjust to our two new administrative and finance systems. Alex commenced in this role on the 19^th April 2021.  She will be working in the office Monday – Tuesday 8a.m. to 4:30p.m and Wednesday – Thursday 8a.m. – 3:30p.m.

Alex has over ten years administrative experience, providing advice and expertise across administration.  She has owned her own business and recently worked extensively in an accounting firm.  This appointment follows the TCS recruitment procedure and I am grateful to Ms Sharon Collins and Mr Sam Hannant for their work as members of the interview panel.  Please drop in and introduce yourself to Alex. 

Congratulations Emma!

Emma has achieved a remarkable effort in her selection in the Qld Swimming Sports Team.  Emma's determination, commitment and passion for swimming is to be commended.  Her commitment to six sessions a week at 4:30a.m. for training is outstanding.  We wish her all the best and perhaps one day we will be cheering for Emma at an Olympics!  Well done Emma we are all very proud of you!

 

Thanks for reading and have a fabulous week. 

Madonna 

Term Fees:

Term 2 school fees will be sent home shorlty.  Just a reminder that Term 1 school fees are now overdue.  Please finalise any outstanding fees ASAP.  School Fees are emailed home.  A notification will be sent via schoolzine to advise families when school fees have been emailed.

Skooldayz Uniform Shop:

The Uniform Shop will be open on Monday and Friday of Term 2 from 2.30 pm - 4.00 pm.  Please contact Dan Eagleson on 0481 318 398 for all your uniform supplies.  Just a reminder that winter uniform requirements will need to be worn in Term 2.  Please ensure your child has the necessary uniform requirements for the upcoming colder months. 

Prep Vision Screenings:

The Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program is coming to St Saviour's Primary early Term 2. The Readiness Program is a Queensland Government service that offers Free Vision Screening to all children enrolled in Prep in Queensland.  Children in Prep will have their vision screened, and consent forms have been sent out via Schoolzine. Paper copies of the consent form have also been sent home to those parents who have not completed the online form. Please contact your child's classroom teacher if you have any questions in relation to the vision screenings.  Vision Screenings are taking place on 27th April, 2021.

Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been lovely to be back amongst the students and staff, in this glorious weather (a bit chilly now) as we get Term 2 underway. This week, we have gathered to celebrate the joy of Easter.

Years 4-6 Mass:

Sacramental Program:

The second part of the program commences in Week 3, with a short Parent Information Session at 7pm, May 6 in the Cathedral Centre. We will be giving out the resources, discussing the Cluster groups and generally answering any questions that parents have with regards to preparing for Confirmation and First Eucharist. A reminder that a sponsor is required for Confirmation. 

ANZAC DAY:

Thank you to 4D and Marg Doljanin who prepared and led the school in a thoughtful, reflective ANZAC Day Assembly. After COVID restrictions were in place last year, that prevented group gatherings, I assume that there will be plenty of families who will be looking forward to attending the special services on Sunday.

I hope you are able to make the most of these long weekends,

Regards,

Judy

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to Term 2!!

IGNITE LEARNING 

In the final newsletter last term I thanked the parents that took the time to respond to the survery around learning dispositions.  Just a reminder of some of that feedback.

Question: What are some of the barriers you see in your child's learning when faced with a challenge?

"My child lacks the confidence to start by themselves and will often ask for help first"

"My child is overwhelmed with learning at home"

"Frustrated when she can't get it correct the first go"

"I notice that my child is very insecure and doesn't know how to solve new problems"

"He gets sidetacked and needs encouragement to continue"

From these five simple comments, it is very easy to see that the only way forward is to equip your children with learning dispositions and skills that they can turn to when learning new things becomes difficult.  That might be learning at school or at home.

The initial list of dispositions has been decided upon based around feedback from parents, staff and students as well as research complied by various scholars.  

At St Saviour's Primary we want our learners to STRIVE at LEARNING and at LIFE and they can do that through the following learning dispositions:

• BE COLLABORATIVE - I work well with others to achieve a goal
• BE CURIOUS - I actively ask questions and seek to understand, being open to new ideas
• BE CREATIVE - I imagine possibilities and problem solve through creative thinking
• BE A COMMUNICATOR - Express your thinking clearly in diverse situations
• BE ADVENTUROUS - I am willing to take risks by trying out new ideas
• BE DETERMINED - I dig deep and never give up

These dispositions will be introduced to your children during class this week.  Several other aspects of school will also be related to the dispositions including awards and class presentations at assembly, Facebook posts and Schoolzine messages.  

Please keep an eye on the newsletter for hints on how you can talk to your child/ren about the dispositions at home. 

If you would like to provide any feedback, please feel free to email me.  sam.hannant@twb.catholic.edu.au 

NAPLAN ONLINE 2021

Students at St Saviour’s Primary in Years 3 and 5 will be completing NAPLAN Online in 2021. 

Preparation for the NAPLAN tests:

• There has been an online practice test for Year 3 and 5 students yesterday. 
• At St Saviour’s Primary, we are fortunate that our students are currently using devices to assist with their learning.  Teachers are currently asking students to write and read stories on their device, use an online calculator and drawing instruments in maths and teaching ICT skills such as drag and drop, copy and paste and understanding drop down menus. All of these skills will help them to complete the tests to the best of their ability.

For more information around NAPLAN please click on the below link for an online parent information brochure: https://nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/resources/naplan-online-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf

The timetable for the tests is below:

RACE DAY 2021

SAVE THE DATE - Saturday October 30

St Saviour's Primary and St Patrick's Cathedral will again be holding a Race Day on Saturday October 30 in the Marquee at Clifford Park Turf Club.  This is also Victorian Derby Day and we will stick with the 'Black & White' theme for the day.

Please stay tuned for ticket sales and sponsorship opportunities in the next newsletter.

Sam Hannant

APA

Reading - Comprehension skills and how to help at home

As your child becomes more confident to decode and read with fluency, there will be an increased focus on comprehending what they read. We use 4 main question types when asking children questions about what they read.

1. Right There Questions: These answers are in the text and usually in one place. 
2. Think and Search Questions: These answers are in the text across a few sentences and the words in the answer might be different to the question.
3. Author and Me: These answers require the reader to use their background knowledge and the knowledge in the text to make an inference.
4. On My Own: These answers require the reader to use their background knowledge and their own opinions.

We teach children each of the question types and what the answers involve so that they can have more success when answering questions independently. The image below gives you some question stems that you could use with your child when reading at home. 

Daisy

Daisy had a wonderful first day at school on Thursday. She hung out with students in the playground and visited some classrooms. Daisy also had the opportunity to meet a few students who were a little nervous about her being at school. If you would like to arrange a meeting with your child and Daisy in a quiet environment. Please send me an email at Nicarla.Prentice@twb.catholic.edu.au.

Epilepsy Awareness

On Wednesday we all dressed in purple to raise awareness for Epilepsy. Congratulations to the winner of the guess the jelly bean competition - Olivia Dunlop in 6H! A very big thank you also to Mrs Murdoch, Archer, Lily, Bella, Isabel and Mikayla for their efforts with the day!

Have a Wonderful long Weekend!

Warm Regards

Nicki Prentice

Zone and Darling Downs Trials

All Zone and Darling Downs Trials will be placed on Skoolzine. Please check Skoolzine 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 me. Any questions, please contact me at brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au.

DD Sport

I am very excited to announce that Carter Wicks made the Darling Downs team for Softball. Carter will now compete with the Darling Downs team in Brisbane. St Saviour’s wishes you the best of luck.

Discus Permission

During term two and three I will be conducting Discus training in the lead up to St Saviour's Primary Athletics Carnival. As Discus is considered a HIGH risk activity, parent permission is needed for your child/ren to participate in training and the event at the School Athletics Carnival (if applicable). As a qualified HPE teacher and an accredited athletics coach I am able to conduct this training/ coaching. Please fill out the attached permission form by clicking the link below for your child to be able to receive training at school and compete in Discus at the St Saviour's Athletic Carnival. Also note that if no permission is received, then your child will not be able to participate.

Kind regards

Brendan Luck

Discus Permission

Upcoming Events (Term Two)

• ZONE Cross Country – 30th April 2021
• SSPS Athletics Carnival – 17th June 2021 (9am – 12pm) and 18th June 2021 (8:30pm – 3pm)

Kind Regards

Brendan Luck

PE Teacher

The annual St Saviour's Cross Country was held today and what a day it was. All students put in a mammoth effort showing persistence and drive in all races. It was a close competition with Xavier being the overall champions for the day winning by six points. Thanks to all the parents for your support on the day and helping with the dressing up your children in sports colours. The top three runners for each race are listed below.

5-Year-Old Girls

1. Annabell Johnson
2. Aria Foard
3. Ivy Land

5-Year-Old Boys

1. Korbin Edwards
2. Ewan Phillips
3. Mach Adol

6-Year-Old Girls

1. Gemma McHugh
2. Chelsea Ray
3. Arok Gakeer

6-Year-Old Boys

1. Jagger Witt
2. Kenn Corpuz
3. Blair Hannenmann

7-Year-Old Girls

1. Myley Banksten
2. Emma Killen
3. Alvina Farkarlun

7-Year-Old Boys

1. Darcy Phillips
2. Harrison Black
3. Richie Warner

8-Year-Old Girls

1. Nyigok Gakeer
2. Deborah Thomas
3. Lola Wood

8-Year-Old Boys

1. Samuel Abot
2. Liam McHugh
3. Oliver Guy

9-Year-Old Girls

1. Rose Stead
2. Aya Doherty
3. Claire Ward

9-Year-Old Boys

1. Joseph Black
2. Reito Mori-Bumatay
3. Finn Hannam

10-Year-Old Girls

1. Lucy Hardy
2. Ayen Gakeer
3. Aophia Hooper

10-Year-Old Boys

1. Taylor Wann
2. Casey Weeden
3. Thomas Prust

11-Year-Old Girls

1. Erin Ward
2. Maddy Kratzke
3. Emma Barram

11-Year-Old Boys

1. Hunter Tate-Roche
2. Joe Phillips
3. Sean Darvall

12-Year-Old Girls

1. Maya Smith
2. Lydia Dull
3. Molly Standing

12-Year-Old Boys

1. James Currie
2. Gue Gue
3. Kye McHugh

Congratulations to our Term 1 Cornerstone Value Award and Encouragement Awards Recipients.  These children were presented with their Certificates on Assembly on Tuesday morning.

Encouragement Award Winners

Emily Carrigan, Caitlin Graham, Warabek Geu, Elijah Menhinnitt, Audrey Hubbard, Levi Nash, Vinnie Ruhle, Harrison Weier, Lillyarna Ruthenberg Clibborn, Jemima Agathe, Lotti Angus, Codee Smith, Alistair Scotts, Kodi Peck, Thomas Prust, Marlie Dwan, Nimeesha Sunil, Isabel Hoole.

Some exciting changes have happened to our Outside School Hours Care program over the holidays. The service is now run by Toowoomba Catholic Kindergartens and Care.

Toowoomba Catholic Kindergartens and Care (TCKC) offer a combination of before school, after school, pupil free days and vacation care led by a team of qualified educators. Our educators work with all children to create fun and recreational experiences so that a child’s wellbeing, learning and personal development are a priority. The services provide a variety of indoor and outdoor activities to support the diverse interests of all children.  

Our service will run Monday to Friday with before school care from 6:30am to 8:30am and after school care from 3pm to 6pm. We will also be offering school holiday care and student free day care. Spots are filling up quickly and we may not always be able to offer you a casual booking so we encourage all our families to book in advance.

Families wanting to enrol their children are invited  visit our website www.tckc.qld.edu.au, click on OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOURS CARE tab and complete an enrolment form relevant to St Saviours. Our website also provides you with operating hours, fee schedules and other relevant information. The services offer flexible arrangements to suit the needs of your family and provides the opportunity for children to grow and develop their social skills in a leisure based environment nurtured by our Catholic ethos.  

We can be contacted on 0429 381 561 between 6:30-8:30 and 1:00- 6:00 each day or at SSPcare@tckc.qld.edu.au to help you with any bookings or enquires.

Regards

Brooke Chittenden

Outside School Care Coorodinator

St Saviour's Primary School 

Library and Information Week 17th May - 21st May

• We will become citizen scientist by sending temperature data on 12th May to be included in an experiment from the International Space Station to explore the connection between earth's surface and the sun/earth/space heat balance.
• This year we will participate in National Simultaneous Story-time (NSST) on Wednesday 19th May by hearing the book ”Give Me Some Space” being read by an astronaut on the International Space Station. 
• Check out the links to amazing space videos on our AccessIT homepage  
• Enter the colouring competition available here NSS2021 - Learn From Play or collect a copy from the library and return it to Mrs Anderson for submission.  

BILBY Awards - Books I Love Best Yearly

Students will be voting for their choice of books from the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) notable booklist. We will compare student choices to those made by adults in the CBCA short-list.

Notables Reading Challenge

Students will be invited to create and share a response to their choice from the CBCA notable books. These responses will be celebrated and displayed in the library across the term.

Regional Readers' Cup Competition

A team of 8 enthusiastic Year 6 students are reading their way through 5 set novels in preparation for the Darling Downs Readers' Cup on the 15th June. This annual event  brings readers together to share their knowledge and joy of stories across Term 2 and culminates in the team quiz. 

Beautiful Bookmarks

We have been gifted beautifully crafted bookmarks by Andrea Nunn. Andrea has used off cuts from book covering contact and her creative skill to produce these bookmarks. Our students can earn one of these unique bookmarks when they take on the notables reading challenge. 

                             Thank you Andrea for your generous gift.

Happy reading across Term 2 everyone!

Anne Anderson