Newsletter 21st August 2024 - Term 3 Week 5

Principal's Message

Dear Parent/Carer,

Art Trail
Join us in celebrating creativity & community in the second annual St Therese's Art Trail - 'It Takes a Village'.  The message behind this African proverb is that it takes many people to give children a safe and healthy environment where they have the security they need to develop and flourish.  This Trail is the perfect way to end the activities for National Child Protection Week where we focus on the theme that 'Every Conversation Matters' and the 2024 message 'Every child in every community needs a fair go.' 
Every student will be contributing to the trail, with each year group creating a tiny village that will be on display around the school.  We'll have live music from Mr Ward and local favourites Alfie's Italian & Melt Gelato are involved too.  Alfie's are bringing their pizza ovens down for the first hour and generously donating 150 pizzas - so bring a gold coin donation and grab a slice!  Proceeds will go to the school.  We're also thrilled to have Melt Gelato on board who will be serving a selection of their delicious gelato! (card & cash payment available). 
The Art Trail will be held on Friday 6th September 2024 from 3.30 - 5.30pm, bring the family down, all welcome!  Thank you to Odette Tonkin and Zoe Meere for organising this amazing event.

Regional Public Speaking Competition
St Therese’s will enter the Regional Public Speaking Competition this year.  This will be held at St James Primary School Kotara South on Thursday 12 September.  Children from Kindergarten to Year 6 will be given an opportunity to participate.  Over the next 2 weeks, all classes will hold a public speaking competition and one student from each class will be chosen to participate in a K – 6 competition that will be held on Monday 2 September, with Mr Konik, Mrs McNeill and Mrs Maretich adjudicating.  This will the result in one student from each stage (Early Stage 1, Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3) progressing to the Regional Competition.  Mrs McNeill will work with these children to prepare for the Regional Competition.  Your child does not need to prepare a speech, as these are being done in class.  We are looking forward to participating in Public Speaking this year.

Staff Leave
Mrs Kepreotes will be on leave from 28 August to 16 October 2024.  We wish Mrs Kepreotes a safe and happy holiday with her family.  Mrs Elise Kellaway will take 4L while Mrs Kepreotes is away.

Disco
Thank you to all the parents/carers that have volunteered for the School Disco on Friday 30 August.  If you have not put your name down to volunteer, and are now available, please let us know.  On Wednesday 28 August, we invite all volunteers to a brief meeting from 3:30pm in the staff room, so that we can go through the procedures for the evening.  If you are unable to attend, we will email you the procedures.  Please note only designated volunteers will be permitted to enter the Hall for the Disco.  We thank you for your support in ensuring all our children are safe.

National Child Protection Week
Week 7 is National Child Protection Week, and the theme is “Every Conversation Matters”.  One of the most important ways that we can keep our children safe, is by opening up conversation with them on being safe.  Encourage your child to “tune into” their worries such as:

• Listen to our bodies – if we feel unsafe with certain situations or people, we many get butterflies in our bellies, sweaty palms etc., so go to a trusted adult for help
• Listen to their worries, and give them a voice in their decision-making
• Speak up if you see a situation that is unsafe

Summer Uniform
As the weather is warming up children are welcome to wear either their summer or winter uniform depending on the weather daily.  The official date for change over is 1st September.  Please remember children need to be in the approved school uniform.  We have noticed an increase in "branded socks, jumpers, hats" creeping in.

Kaylene Maretich
Acting Principal

Assistant Principal's Message

Book Week 
Our school Book Week celebrations were fantastic last week. The Teacher reading groups in the morning were highly engaging and the Book Parade was a great platform for students to show their favourite book characters. An enormous thank you to Mrs Barker and her library team, (Mrs Fields and Mrs Gleeson) for all the work and dedication into making Book Week the fantastic celebration it was.

Smart Watches
We have had a growing number of children wearing Smart Watches to school.  These watches have the same features of a mobile phone, so children can only wear them to school, if parents/carers have enabled a “school setting”.  School settings need to disable the following features: being able to call or text anyone (including parents/carers), cameras, videos, internet, social media etc.  While at school, Smart Watches should only be able to tell the time. 

If school settings have not been enabled, then children will be asked to place their Smart Watches in a drawer at their teacher’s desk, in the same way as mobile phones.  Smart Watches and mobile phones can cause disruption in the classroom and on the playground, as children can use them inappropriately to access social media and take photos, videos etc. without permission.  This can cause distress and breach the privacy of others.  Should you need to inform your child about changes to routines after school, or check on your child, please do this by calling the school office.

Professional Learning Teams
Classroom teachers continue to work in their Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) across the term. These are vital meetings where grade teachers discuss student data and observations across Religious Education, English and Mathematics. These meetings are facilitated by the school executive team. Conversations in these team meetings always have student achievement at the core of what we do in the classroom and help with future planning. 

Have a great week.

Mark Konik
Acting Assistant Principal

Catholic Identity & Curriculum

Catholic Culture News

Faith Formation
Francis' Focus – Who better to help guide us in the true depth and meaning of our Catholic faith than the charismatic and authentic leader of our Church, Pope Francis. Below Pope Francis gives a timely reminder – especially with many of our children making their First Holy Communion this Sunday as to what the Eucharist is really about:

‘ The Eucharist’, Pope Francis famously said, ‘is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.’ Reflecting on today’s Gospel passage, the Pope encourages us to avoid becoming ‘arbiters of grace’. Rather, he says, we should be ‘its facilitators’.

As the Pope points out, Jesus gives us the Eucharist ‘with a specific purpose: that we may become one with him.’

‘The Eucharist is Jesus himself who gives himself entirely to us’, the Pope reminds us, which helps us to become a living ‘gift to God and to our brothers and sisters.’

In one sense, we do this individually. Being nourished by the Eucharist, the Pope explains, ‘means entering into harmony with the heart of Christ, assimilating his choices, his thoughts, his behaviour.’ Each of us therefore seeks to become what we consume.

But we do not do so alone. Communion is a celebration of the Body of Christ – the Church – which means we are being transformed together as the pilgrim People of God. Communion, the Pope says, ‘means entering into a dynamism of love and becoming people of peace, people of forgiveness, of reconciliation, of sharing in solidarity.’

What this all means is that we should approach the Eucharist with openness to being changed, individually and collectively, into the Bread of Life for all.

Religious Education
Year 2 – Topic: Belonging to a Caring Community
This module focuses on the Christian response to and sharing of God’s love through the ways we live in right relationship with God and other people. In this module, students examine ways to interact with others and how actions can reflect the love of God. This module explores what it means to be part as part of a caring community.  Students will learn about Jesus’ great commandment to love one another and ways of applying this commandment to their own lives. The module also looks at a Christian community as one where people care for one another, and especially for those who are poor and in need, and for God’s creation. Students will be introduced to what it means to live justly as part of a loving community. Students will also learn that caring for others and creation is an important part of belonging to a Catholic community.

Prayer, Celebration & Mission

This section is designed to keep you informed of any important dates coming up regarding our community’s faith-life celebrations and mission activities. Things such as Masses, liturgies, mission days and the Sacramental program will all be included here:

• Week 5:
• Monday 19^th August – Religious Literacy Test (Yr 6)
• Sunday 25^th August – First Holy Communion Mass at 11am. 
• Week 6:
• Monday 26^th August – Sacramental Program afternoon tea and celebration 1:30pm
•  Week 7:
• Catholic Community Week

Luke Smith
RE Coordinator

School Community News

Principal Awards
Congratulations and thank you, children, for upholding the values and principles of St Therese’s. The following students will receive a Principal’s Award at next week’s School Assembly, Monday 26/8, 2:30pm

Melissa Pyers
Primary Coordinator

Congratulations & Celebrations to our Dance Team
This past weekend Miss Toscano took 2 dance teams, 1 aerobics team, 1 aerobics duo and 3 dance soloists to the TFT School Aerobics National Championships in Adelaide.
Thank you for all the dedicated students and their family members for another phenomenal year of dance and aerobics. Every child performed to the very best of their ability and they all owned that stage. There wasn't a dry eye in the room each time the kids took the stage!!! 
A big shout out to the primary aerobics' girls and their beautiful families as this is their final year competing for St Therese's as they're all moving onto high school next year. You girls have been the best role models and leaders to all our younger students and have stepped up many times to assist and help not only myself but the students without being asked. 
I am very thankful for all the fun and laughter we've shared, and I'll miss you girls immensely. 
Another special shoutout to Lily P, Evie C and Malia W who have been in our aerobics team since we started this team four years ago. Those girls have shown such dedication, grit, determination and commitment to this program and what a way to end this journey but on an absolute high after their performance this past weekend! I will miss all my primary aerobics girls, but I am very thankful for their commitment over the past four years. 
Finally, thank you to every family member and every student who has spent endless early morning and extra training sessions over the past few months getting ourselves ready for Nationals. It's a huge commitment for everyone but when we see our students on that stage it makes all that hard work and dedication so worth it! 
I am so proud of each child who went to Adelaide and represented St Therese's at Nationals so incredibly well! My hearts exploding with JOY!!!
Many thanks to everyone,

Alex Toscano
(one very very very Proud coach!)

2024 Nationals Results:
Solos:
🥇Zoe Dean 1st place
🥈Mila Munzenberger 2nd place
🖐️Maddi Burt 5th place
Teams:
🥇Kindergarten 1st place
🥇Year 1/2 1st place
Aerobics:
🥇Lily and Evie duo 1st place 
🖐️Primary Aerobics team 5th place

St Therese's Ball
We're holding a fundraising ball on Saturday 21st September. A flyer is attached below. Tickets are selling quickly. There are a few tables that have 2-3 spots available if you are keen to come and don’t have a table, please email the Fundraising Committee - st.theresesball@gmail.com

• Make sure you follow along on the Facebook group for updates - https://www.facebook.com/share/F6f39LcoyNux8BrH/?mibextid=K35XfP. 
• If you’re interested in making a donation for a raffle prize or bottle of wine for the wine cage raffle please reach out by sending an email the Committee
• Thank you to those that made donation suggestions via the survey- those responses were anonymous so if you haven’t been contacted, please email the Committee to arrange a donation.

Poetry Club- Term 3
We are looking forward to seeing everyone at Poetry Club in Term 3 at 8am in the library on the following days:
Week 7- Wednesday 4^th September
Week 9- Wednesday 18^th September

ICAS
Just a reminder that the Mathematics ICAS exam will be Wednesday 28Aug in the Catherine McAuley Centre (library) at 8:10am.

Volunteering
Throughout the year, we welcome all parents/carers to volunteer at the school. To volunteer, you must complete the volunteer's induction. This process can take up to 6 weeks, so you are encouraged to complete this early.

School Fees
Thank you to those families that have been making payments towards their fees. Our preferred payment methods are BPay, direct debit or credit card. If you choose to use CompassPay, please double check the amount before you submit the payment. Refunds can no longer be given for incorrect amounts paid unless your account is in credit.

Gifted Education News Term 3
Our school has highly talented teachers who differentiate to assist all learners including those that are Gifted and Talented. Currently, a focus across our school has been teachers working collaboratively to embed a new range of thinking skills into teaching and learning programs. Teachers ask questions across all subjects, encouraging students to analyse, evaluate and reflect on information and their learning. This is helping the children to develop their skills of being critical thinkers and transfer their knowledge across different contexts.

The Virtual Academy Program 2024
This specialised program which is unique in the Catholic School’s Office for Stage 3 gifted students is focused on students exploring a real-world problem and providing solutions based on data collection and comprehensive research. Harry N in Year 6 is currently working on a unit this semester called Adaptations in Virtual Academy. This unit is highly suited to Harry’s skills of creativity and innovation, particularly with creating apps to address a problem that Harry feels needs addressing. We look forward to learning about what Harry invents.

Aspire Writers
Last term, three talented writers from Stage 3; Violette S, Maeve H and Vienne T attended a special workshop where they learnt from a guest playwright and watched a recording of a production called April Aardvark staged by the Australian Theatre for Young People. A fantastic opportunity for our writers to learn literary techniques from the best!

Poetry Club Performance Night - Term 4
As the number of students at Poetry Club this year has surged, we will be having two performance nights at The Newcastle Comedy Club. It will be like our own Writer’s Festival! Siblings in the Poetry Club will be together on the same night.
Please add the following dates to your diary for this special event:
Sunday December 1^st
Monday December 2nd
Stay tuned for more details and information. An occasion not to be missed!

Trish McNeil
Year 4 Teacher

Wellbeing

In the final part of The Resilience Project's parent series, Hugh shares an important message about allowing our children to experience adversity.
The key to building resilience in our children is allowing them to experience failure, hardship, disappointment etc. As parents, we can be too quick to resolve our children's challenges which can deprive our children of enormous growth opportunities. These typically happen when we experience failure and uncertainty. As parents we should be there for our children when they fail, but not fight their battles for them.

View Part 5 of the series here:
Part 5 - Summary: https://theresilienceproject.com.au/2023-parent-carer-hub-inspire-hugh/
Thank you for participating in this Parent and Carer Digital Presentation series.
You can re-watch the videos and access activities and resources anytime via the Parent & Carer Hub.
You can also stay up to date with The Resilience Project news and events by signing up to their Newsletter.

Imperfects Podcast
Season 6, Episode 37, Bonus Episode – How Hugh built The Resilience Project

https://theresilienceproject.com.au/at-home/podcasts/season-6-episode-37-bonus-episode-how-hugh-built-the-resilience-project/

Sport

We would like to congratulate all our athletes who attended the Netball Gala day on Monday and our athletes who attended the Diocesan Athletic Carnival at Glendale on Wednesday last week. 
A number of students were successful in their events. Congratulations to these students for making it through to Polding: 
Chase P, Ignatius P, Isabella G, Ben C and Mary W.
Well Done!

Jye Bowen 

Netball Gala Day
On Monday 12^th August 60 girls from Year 3 – 6 participated in the NSW Netball Gala Day. It was a fantastic day. We were extremely lucky with the weather, only raining during the last game.
We entered four Year 3/4 social teams, two Year 5/6 social teams and one senior competitive team. All the girls showed determination, sportsmanship and fun! Our senior competitive team won their division and will now play the finals on Friday 20^th September 2024.
These days are only successful due to the many parents, grandparents and other family members that help us on the day.
Thank you to the following parents who took on the manager roll of a team:
Reanna (intern)
Jenna (Olivia M's cousin)
Rachel (Billie H's mum)
Sigrid (Ruby J's mum)
Annabel (Grace O's mum)
Kristy (Violet H's mum)
Andrea (Brooklyn L's mum)

Leanne Kepreotes & Carly Mortimer

Canteen

Important Dates

26Aug - School Assembly 2:30pm
28Aug - PEG 5pm
30Aug - Father's Day Breakfast from 7:30am
           - School Disco 6pm
2Sept - Open Classrooms 9.30-10.30am
6Sept - Mass Yrs 3 & 4 9.30am
                 Art Trail 3.30-5.30
11Sept - Yr 6 Sport Day St Pius
12Sept - Union Gala Day
20Sept-Mass Stage 3, 9.30am
21Sept - St Therese's Ball