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- Principal's Message
- Keeping Calm and Connected: Mindfulness Sessions
- Merit Awards
- PM eCollection (Kinder to Yr 3)
- Remote Learning Kindergarten
- Remote Learning Year 2
- Remote Learning Year 4
- A bit of fun: Draw Yourself as a Peanuts Character in Pages
- Tips for Remote Learning
- National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Children's Day
- Sport Update
- School Buses
- School Canteen
- Student/Parent Guides
- Roll Marking
- School Drop-off and Pick-up
- Help
Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope that you found time to read the most recent parent communication yesterday, which followed the Premier's announcement that the restrictions in place across NSW and the stay at home (lockdown) orders for Greater Sydney, including Wollongong and Shellharbour, will be extended for at least another four weeks Saturday 28 August 2021.
As a level 4 school, this means that remote learning will continue until at least the end of Week 7, Term 3, 2021. Supervision only will be provided for students to access the remote learning materials when attending school and as teachers are also working remotely, staff on-site each day has been reduced to a minimum.
As difficult as this is for all of us, the school is here to support you. To the best of our ability, we continue to implement the directives from both NSW Government and NSW Health. It is an extremely difficult and challenging time and my consistent message has been that we need to work together in a supportive and respectful way to ensure the safety of all in our school community.
If at any time you have a concern or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact the school. The parent request for help online form is available here and remember, no question is a question not worth asking! Next week, we will again be checking in with all our families by phone, seeking your feedback on how the school can further support you.
In the knowledge that remote learning will continue until at least the end of Week 7, Friday 27 August, I strongly encourage that you:
- Remind yourself, that you are not your child's teacher
- Don't stress over your child's online learning. Only complete the work that you can reasonably support them to achieve
- Prioritise daily reading, this is critically important for all students
- Don't make comparisons with what others say they are doing or for that matter, other schools
- Be kind to yourself and realistic in your expectations. It will be okay.
Staffing News
On Monday 2 August we warmly welcome Mr De Battista back to St John's following his secondment to the Catholic Education Office. As Mr De Battista resumes his teaching position in 5 Blue and his leadership position, I would like to acknowledge and thank Mrs Bridge for her work in teaching 5 Blue as well as Mrs Blomely who undertook Mr De Battista's leadership position during his absence.
Mrs Bridge will provide Mr De Battista's leadership release, teaching 5 Blue on Thursday and provide casual teacher relief on the other days of the week for the remainder of the school year.
Parents and Friends Association
The P&F Meeting, scheduled for next Tuesday 3 August, has been cancelled.
Once again, thank you for the support that you continue to show for our teachers and support staff. Our teachers are working really hard to make the learning as enjoyable and engaging as they can and to support all students to maintain learning.
Go gently and stay safe.
Andrew Heffernan
(Principal)
CatholicCare has made available Keeping Calm and Connected: Mindfulness Sessions, offered as recordings and accessible through the website below. The website also includes an audio recording of the mindfulness reflection exercise 'A time to reflect with pride, love, and gratitude during COVID-19'.
The sessions focus on the following, with recordings ranging from 11 – 20 minutes:
- Mindfulness
- Mindfulness & Self Care
- Mindfulness & Sleep
- Mindfulness & Compassion
- Mindfulness & Worry
- Mindfulness & Gratitude
As we currently navigate this most recent COVID challenge, these resources help us to remember the importance of looking after and being kind to ourselves, whether it be watching these recordings, or something else that brings you calm and joy. Please feel free to share this link with school communities, your family, and friends.
Congratulations to the following students for receiving Merit Awards for Term 3, Week 3.
The benefits of reading more are obvious. The student who reads more will have a more extensive vocabulary, improved concentration, better understanding of sentence structure, greater reading comprehension skills, more general knowledge picked up through their various reads and a higher level of creativity and imagination. Reading just 20 minutes a day gives students a big head-start. This is why it is essential that your child is reading each day during remote learning. To assist you in providing access to texts, every child in Kindergarten to Year 3 now has access to the PM eCollection. We strongly encouraged all children in Kindergarten to Year 3 to access the PM eCollection each day during remote learning.
Please take a moment to read the Information for parents and at-home users document, it provides important information on how to access and utilise the PM eCollection eReader. Each child in Kindergarten to Year 3 has their own personalised login. If you can not locate your child’s individual login details please contact their classroom teacher or complete the Parent Request for Support Form. Children in Years 4 to 6 will continue to access Sora — The Student Reading App. Sora provides access to a digital library with thousands of ebooks and audiobooks. Sora login details for students in Kindergarten to Year 3 will be sent home next week.
Sora
To access these ebooks you will need to Download the Sora App from the App Store: (tip: if you search for the app, type Sora by OverDrive) https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/sora-by-overdrive/id1376592326?mt=8
This video tutorial will help you setup and use Sora. http://overdrivedow.weebly.com/getting-started.html
Amazing video from a student in Kindergarten Red in response to Pray School.
The students from Year 4 have shared their creative talent, baking skills, outdoor play and their beautiful pets.
Little Scribe Writing Festival
As part of the Little Scribe Writing Festival, Year 4 did a pre-session activity based on the writing of author Tristan Banks, where they had to come up with a silly caption for a picture.
No Apple Pencil — no problem
- Create a blank document
- Click on the + button top right-hand corner
- Scroll down and insert Drawing
- You will now have a box (drawing area) on your screen
- Use the Pencil/Eraser tools at the bottom of the screen
- Use your finger to draw
Dates for Term 3
- Soth Coast Athletics Championship — CANCELLED
- Soccer Gala Day 6th August - CANCELLED
- Basketball Gala Day Juniors (Year 3 & 4) – 9th September
- Basketball Gala Day Seniors (Year 5 & 6) – 10th September
School buses will run as per normal for those students that have to attend school.
School Canteen will be closed until further notice.
Zoom
Finding deleted files in Google Classroom
Students who are remote learning will need to access their classwork through their means of delivery (e.g. Google Classroom, Seesaw) by 3pm each day to be marked as present.
School drop-off and pick-up procedures will, for the most, remain unchanged. There will be minor adjustments to the afternoon pick, with parents and carers now not permitted to be onsite. You are asked to follow the directions of staff and maintain physical distancing at all times.
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Read LessUnderstandably, many questions may arise and it is hoped that frequent school communication via Compass, assists you in clarifying your concerns. Teachers will respond to emails and phone calls in a timely manner during school hours (8:00 am – 3:00 pm) only. Requests for technology support can be made via the form below.