T1 W9 Newsletter 2023
From The Principal
“Speak to me, I will listen with the heart.”
As parents, one of the greatest joys is when our child opens his or her heart to us. We feel fulfilled in who we are. We know that we can’t force it to happen. We know it rarely happens when we are tired or cranky or busy or distracted. We know that such a sharing touches something very deep within us and within our child.
God too is a parent…one who has made it clear that listening to the desires of our hearts is of highest importance. God is never tired, cranky, busy, distracted, rather God is just waiting for us to crawl up into the divine lap and pour out our heart. Unbelievable as it seems, God listens to each of us as though we were the only one. We may find that hard to understand as we complain that our prayers go unanswered but we have to ask ourselves what type of prayers are they. Are they just words we repeat with our hearts far away? Are they orders given to God to make life easier – don’t let the boss be angry? Find me the parking spot? Let us get a good price for the house? We are more than these concerns, we have deeper needs and God knows this. Something deeply human within us blossoms when we share heart to heart with God.
This Lent, take some quiet moments with God. Perhaps when waiting to pick up the kids, when putting the washing out, during a lull at work, ask yourself, “What is my heart feeling?” and share that with God.
Loving God, you want us to draw close to you. Send up your Spirit so that we may see how much you loved us by sending us your Son. May the example of Jesus inspire our prayer. We ask this in his name confident that you will hear us. Sr Kym Harris osb
Principal's Messages
VAPING - THE DANGERS | Catholic School Parents Queensland warmly invite all Catholic School parents and carers to join a Zoom Webinar with Tony Parsons from National Drug Awareness. Tony will explain the dangers of children vaping.
This is a FREE WEBINAR hosted by CSPQ to support our families in Catholic Schools.
Click here for more info and to register >
https://www.eventcreate.com/e/vapingwebinar
Chrism Mass Invitation
CHRISM MASS INVITATION
Bishop Michael has extended an invitation for all to join in the celebration of the
Chrism Mass, being held at 10:00am on Thursday, 30 March at St Joseph’s
Cathedral. This is a marvellous opportunity for the Diocese to gather with our
clergy as they conclude their time of pre-Easter gathering. At the Mass, the oils
of Catechumens and of the sick will be blessed, and the chrism consecrated, to
be used in Sacraments across all our communities for the next year. For those
unable to attend in person you can watch the Mass live, or later, via the St
Joseph’s Cathedral YouTube channel -
https://www.youtube.com/user/StJosephsCathRton.
This is an important celebration for our Diocese and as we lead into Holy Week.
Enrolments For 2024 Now Being Taken
ENROLMENTS FOR 2024 | Enrolments for Prep are currently being taken for the 2024 school year. If you have a child due to commence Prep next year born between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019, please complete an online enrolment form available from the school website: https://www.sasrok.catholic.edu.au/
Interviews will commence in Term Two.
Student Protection News
Digital Addiction Talk
Today, Year 5 and 6 students of St. Anne’s joined the year 5 and 6 students at Sarina State School to listen to a presentation by Brad Huddleston and Sergeant Nigel Dalton. The presenters talked about the symptoms of digital addiction, the effect too much dopamine can have on the brain, better study strategies, how to digitally 'detox' and how to keep yourself safe online.
Across The Curriculum
The official NAPLAN testing period continues this week. Above is a link that will take you to a range of sample tests that parents can try with their students at home. These tests help to practice the keyboarding skills that our students need to complete the official testing. Below is the timetable of the official NAPLAN test window for our school.
Changes to NAPLAN Reporting: an excerpt from a recent memo from the QCAA:
As part of the National School Reform Agreement, education ministers agreed that a proficiency standard be introduced for literacy and numeracy assessed by NAPLAN. On 10 February 2023, education ministers also agreed to change the reporting of NAPLAN results in response to the online testing transition and the move to earlier NAPLAN testing in March.
The new proficiency standard has four levels of achievement for each year level and replaces the previous 10-band structure and the national minimum standard used across the four domains. The four levels of achievement are:
• Exceeding
• Strong
• Developing
• Needs additional support.
From 2023, the individual student report (ISR) will change. The ISR will be based on the four levels of achievement. It will also continue to show the national average, the range of achievement for the middle 60% of students in each year level, and a dot placement for the student comparing their achievement against these measures.
This new standard and its benchmarks will provide information to parents/carers and teachers about what a student can do against a challenging but reasonable standard of literacy and numeracy expected for students at the time of the tests.
This change to reporting means that a new time series and a resetting of the measurement scale will commence in 2023, allowing the full benefit of the new online adaptive testing to be reflected in student results. Results from 2008–2022 cannot be directly compared with the 2023 results.
If you have any questions once you have received your child's NAPLAN report, please do not hesitate to come and see us. It will be a very different reporting style that what we are used to, however we are hoping it will give us clearer information on the academic development of our students.
Below is a link if you would like to read any further information regarding NAPLAN and your Year 3 or 5 student.
Reading Volunteers Needed! From 8.20am-9.00am
One of our major curriculum goals in our School Improvement Plan for 2023 is to enhance the learning growth of our students in reading. One of the ways we can improve student progress in this space is to increase reading volume, and this is where we need your help!
We would like to set up a morning reading routine, where, on a rotational basis, students would come down to the library to listen to a story read by a grown up, and to read their home reading book, and then go back to class. Ideally, every morning would be wonderful, but I can work out the days once I know how many people are available to help.
To assist in this initiative, you would need to have completed the short online Volunteers Induction form, through the link Mr Oches sent out earlier in the year.
If you are available during this time, please let me know what days you are able to assist us. Grandparents are more than welcome, too!
A Really Beautiful Moment- Can You Help With A New Breakfast Club Idea?
Today, Mr Oches and I had a meeting with Matilda Walsh, who recently presented us with the most thoughtful idea, an idea that truly reflects the works of our Catholic Social Teachings.
Matilda has noticed that many students in the morning are either eating something from their lunchbox before school, or commenting that they haven't had time to have breakfast because the mornings are a rush. Matilda has come up with a plan, and recently presented this plan to Mr Oches in a well written, and extremely persuasive letter!
We would like to support Matilda in getting a free breakfast club up and running. Initially, we are seeking donations of cereal, UHT milk, paper cups and spoons. Our thinking at this stage, is that we will run Breakfast Club each Monday, beginning in Term 2, from 8am-8.20am, on the grid where I am on morning duty.
Any donations of the above items will be greatly appreciated. These can be given to the front office ladies at any time.
We will keep an eye on of our Breakfast Club as Term 2 progresses, and have in mind that we can extend the number of days if needed. It truly warms our hearts when students are making connections to what they are learning at home and in our classrooms to how they can help in their broader community.
The Good News
From the Assistant Principal: Religious Education
Mrs Erika Milne
Finance News
Concession Card Discounts | If you have an existing concession card discount, please be aware that discounts are not automatically applied to new enrolments. Discounts are applied to each student upon individual application and there is a form that is required to be completed each time.
If you have an existing concession card registered at St Anne’s and have more than one student, please contact Sandra Adams to confirm that discounts have been applied to each student.
Term 1 Fees | Payment of School fees for Term one are now overdue. If you have not paid in full, and do not have a payment plan in place, please contact our Finance Officer to discuss.
P&F News
Tuckshop Volunteers
The St Anne's Tuckshop is closed until a new convenor is appointed.
Students Of The Week
Congratulations To Our Students Of The Week | Jack B, Taj K, Summer P, Lui B, Milly G, Harper O, Aliya R, Mia S, Lewis J, Payton H, Bella R, Taysha M, Ben B, Charlotte W, Mason C, Zoe P, Hudson V, Noah G, Clare B, Year 3 O, Dylan G, Piper W, Mackenzie S, Brooklyn Q, Caleb P, Hayden M, Preston H, Bryce G, Amelia P
General Information
| Birthdays | |||
| 21/03 | Amelia T | 25/03 | Xavier M |
| Notes Home to Parents Since Last Newsletter | |||
| Date | To | Topic | Author |
| 14/03 | All Parents | T1 W8 Newsletter | Admin |
| 17/03 | Year 5 & 6 Students | Digital Addiction Presentation | Mrs Milne |
| 20/03 | Year 6 | Headlice | Admin |
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