Recent News
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Welcome to Week 9!
School Camp: Building Confidence and Resilience
Last week, I joined the Year 5’s on their school camp experience at El Shaddai, in Wellington and it brought back many memories of my personal camp experiences from Narnu Farm in Year 3 right through to a whole week ‘off the grid’ in the Flinders Ranges in Year 11 and everything in between. I was quickly reminded of the many wonderful opportunities that the school camp experience brings to our young people and for many it was their first time away from home. We cannot underestimate how significant this can be for some of our students.
It was wonderful to witness, in action, the many benefits of being connected to nature and off technology, even for 2-3 days. The camp allowed our learners the opportunity to showcase different strengths that may not always be visible in the classroom setting. Teachers commented about ‘seeing’ their students in a different light. Additionally, this camp experience strengthened relationships between peers and showcased the warmth and care our teachers demonstrated to those entrusted in their care. Furthermore, independence was fostered, new activities were experienced, and confidence was built.
I must acknowledge the hard work of all our educators who tirelessly planned behind the scenes to ensure a successful camp experience, not to mention the ‘around the clock’ supervision and care to ensure everyone’s wellbeing was taken care of. The payoff for us as educators is that we were fortunate to witness some significant milestones being demonstrated by our students. Being resilient was definitely at the forefront of our minds and this was expressed when our students tried a new challenge, like kayaking for the first time, holding a snake courageously, tasting a new food at mealtime and one, not to be underestimated, falling asleep in a foreign bed and away from the comforts of home.
I hope that all the skills, dispositions and memories learnt and experienced by our campers will be long lasting. I did smile when I some students commented about wanting the camp to last for a whole week……. I wonder how our fabulous teachers (and parents) would feel about that! Ultimately, it confirmed just how much the camp experience continues to be a value add to the primary school curriculum.
Smart Watches and Mobile Phones
I would like to remind parents and students that smart watches and phones are not to be used for contacting parents or others during school hours. We appreciate the times in which we now live and that these devices in many instances support families particularly at the end of day with pick up arrangements. Please be assured that if you need to get a message to your child or vice versa, this will be followed up by the front office staff. We thank you for your support in this matter.
Lost Property
As we head into the term break, I remind students and families to check our ever-growing pile of lost property items. We have two full tubs of clothing that belong to someone! Lost property is located in our tuckshop area.
Literacy Approach
Our Playberry Laser literacy approach is unapologetically thorough, routine based and rigorous. Using retrieval practice in many forms, students benefit from ample opportunities to reinforce and solidify their skills. Practice makes permanent. In addition to the decodable readers, connected texts and good fit interest books, parents often ask if there a quality apps or websites to support reading at home. Here are some quality ones that many of our educators and tutors use that you may like to use at home with your children.
Reading Doctor: Evidence based that promotes phonics and phonemic awareness skills. Click her for more information.
Nessy: Especially designed for students with dyslexia but can be used for any child. It is based on the Science of Reading, click her for more information
The Five from Five website is very informative for parents and has a list of online games which you may find useful.
Sacramental Program – Sacrament of Confirmation
The past week has been a very special time for 60 of our Star of the Sea Students who received the Sacrament of Confirmation. These were celebrated over 3 evening ceremonies. We were fortunate to have Fr Dean Marin, the Vicar General, who came to preside the ceremonies. This coming weekend, these students will also receive the sacrament of First Holy Communion where they will be welcomed into the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, Henley Beach Parish.
During the past few months these students have been growing and journeying together, reflecting on their lives and their own experiences. They have grown in their knowledge and love of God; that same knowledge and love they have shared within their families and within the life of our Church.
I would like to personally thank the Year 4 class teachers, Adam Francis, Maria Trimarchi and Mel Tokic for preparing these students and assisting me with the entire Sacramental Program
Thank you to all the families, friends and sponsors for supporting these young students on this important milestone in their faith journey.
May God continue to shine upon them all and bless them always.
We are currently in the Season of Creation, a time when we are all called to give thanks for the creation that God has given us.
Pope Francis calls us all to be ‘Stewards of our Land‘ and to pay attention to the many gifts that surround us each day
Next week our students will engage in a number of activities in class, ending in a Whole School Pilgrimage to the beach to celebrate this special time.
Students are invited to wear casuals and bring a gold coin donation. Please make sure they are being sun smart, NO singlet tops, and remember to bring a hat to wear.
We will be leaving school at approximately 9:15, returning by recess.
Each class will engage in a prayer service and then spend some time enjoying the beach; making sandcastles, drawing in the sand, before participating in a beach clean-up. Students will not be going in the water or anywhere near the water.
Each class needs 2 parent volunteers to assist us with walking to and from the beach, and supervision while we are there.
If you have all relevant checks, please contact your class teacher, or the front office.
We look forward to a nice morning, giving thanks to God for all creation.
Yesterday we were lucky to have Patrick’s Dad visit us in his truck. The children asks some very engaging questions. Before the truck visit we talked about how many wheels are on different trucks. We will use our boxes to construct our own trucks.
The Marine Discovery Centre has now released 8 exciting episodes of Porci’s Ocean Patrol! Porci (pronounced "pour-key"), a friendly Porcupine Fish, takes viewers on a journey through the fascinating marine life of South Australia’s oceans, while teaching valuable lessons about protecting these creatures, exploring Aboriginal culture, and promoting environmental sustainability.
In addition to starring MDC's own Karno and Georgie, episodes from episode 2 onwards feature students from Star of the Sea School. Each episode is about 8 minutes long and comes with downloadable activities and teacher resources. Plus, students participating in the Children’s University program can earn hours towards their passport by completing these tasks through the Children’s University portal.
The Marine Discovery Centre is working towards generating income from YouTube once we reach 1,000 subscribers. We’re calling on our community to help us reach this milestone! Please subscribe to our channel using the link below, share it with friends and family, and be the first to know when new episodes drop.
Your support helps sustain the Marine Discovery Centre—thank you for being part of our mission!
https://www.youtube.com/@porcisoceanpatrol
You can also download all of the free educational resources for each episode here: https://www.marinediscoverycentre.com.au/porci-s-ocean-patrol/series-episodes
One-minute videos and student activities here: https://www.marinediscoverycentre.com.au/porci-s-ocean-patrol/activities
Important Dates
Sacrament of Holy Communion 6pm
Sacrament of Holy Communion 11am & 5.30pm
Year 5 Assembly 2.30pm SMB
Season of Growth Whole School Walk
End of Term
Why Reading with Babies is Awesome!
Reading with babies isn't just fun – it’s super important for their growth! Here’s why:
- Boosts Language Skills: Reading books, talking about pictures, and sharing stories help babies learn speech sounds, words, and how to talk.
- Early Literacy: Doing these activities every day helps babies get used to books and words, setting them up to be great readers when they grow up.
- Fires Up Imagination: Stories make babies dream big and learn about the world around them.
- Bonding Time: Reading together is a special time for you and your baby to connect and enjoy each other’s company.
Fun Tips for Reading with Babies:
- Start Early: You can begin reading to your baby from birth!
- Quiet Time: Newborns love calm reading sessions. By 12 months, they'll be excited and involved in story time.
- Interactive Reading: Point out words and pictures and make your voice lively with different tones.
- Pick Fun Books: Babies love books with rhymes, rhythm, and repetition.
Remember, every time you read with your baby, you're helping them grow smarter and stronger! So, grab a book and start the adventure together!
Self-Care September
This month’s calendar from the Action for Happiness platform, is a timely one as we near the end of term! With so much happening for many of our young people and their families, self-care must be a priority for all of us. There are a few on here that I know can be more challenging than others, like giving yourself permission to say no. I hope some of these gentle reminders can be useful for you or your children.
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