Dear Families,
I’m thrilled to be back at school after a couple of weeks on leave, where I enjoyed a wonderful holiday in Queensland with my family. It was refreshing to spend time in the sun and experience everything Queensland has to offer. Returning to school on Monday was such a joy, especially being welcomed by our students, who had so many wonderful stories to share. It’s amazing how much I miss them when I’m away—they truly bring so much joy to our work. My heartfelt thanks to Kelly and Domenique for their outstanding leadership of Star of the Sea in my absence.
We’re already approaching the midpoint of the term, and so many wonderful events have already taken place. Last week, our Year 3, 4, and 5 students embarked on a "Mercy Walk," delivering postcards filled with messages of love to our neighbours in Henley Beach. We’ve been overwhelmed with messages of gratitude from our community, and below is one such thank-you note. This truly reflects the warm relationships we’re building and strengthening with our neighbours. It’s a privilege to be part of such a wonderful community!
RETIREMENTS AND FAREWELLS
We have some very meaningful and bittersweet farewells to make to some incredible members of our Star of the Sea family.
Alison Rebuli, who has dedicated an extraordinary 44 years to our community, will be retiring at the end of 2024. Alison’s impact on our school and on generations of students, families, and staff cannot be overstated. Her presence, kindness, and dedication have enriched us all, and she will be deeply missed.
Deb Tucker has also decided to retire after over 15 years of commitment to our community. Throughout her time with us, Deb has positively touched the lives of so many students and families, leaving a lasting legacy. Her warmth and care have been an inspiration, and her absence will be felt by all of us.
Additionally, we bid farewell to Damian, who retired after an impressive 37 years of dedicated service in Catholic Education. During his tenure as Principal at Star of the Sea School, Damian’s passion for education and commitment to fostering a supportive, faith-centered learning environment have left an indelible mark on our community. Under his leadership, the school has seen significant improvements in learning outcomes, as he championed initiatives that focused on student engagement, personalised learning, and academic excellence. To honour Damian’s remarkable journey and the lasting legacy he leaves, we will hold a farewell assembly on Thursday, 28th November at 2:00 pm. We invite the entire community to join us in celebrating his years of service, his commitment to excellence, and the positive difference he has made in the lives of so many at Star of the Sea School.
Finally, we say goodbye to Trish Jauncey, who will be leaving Star of the Sea at the end of the 2024 school year. Trish is following her passion to become a specialist teacher and has accepted a permanent position as a STEM teacher at another Catholic school beginning in 2025. We are so grateful for all that Trish has contributed over the years and wish her every success on her new teaching adventure.
Each of these remarkable individuals has left a unique mark on our school. We will cherish the memories and the legacies they leave behind, and they will forever be part of our Star of the Sea family.
SCHOOL FEES
Over the past few years, we have been pleased to keep our school fees frozen to help support families facing the pressures of rising living costs. After careful discussion with our School Board and a recommendation from Catholic Education South Australia, we are writing to inform our school families of a small adjustment to school fees for the 2025 school year.
In 2025, there will be a modest 3% increase in school fees. This adjustment will enable us to continue enhancing our school facilities and infrastructure, ensuring that we can provide the best possible learning environment now and for future generations.
The Term 3 2025 mid-year Reception intake shall again be offered to families free of charge - no tuition fees for the first six months.
At Star of the Sea, we are deeply committed to making Catholic education accessible and affordable for all. If any family is experiencing financial hardship, we encourage them to reach out to Karyn Burlow, our Finance Manager, for a confidential discussion about additional support options, including fee remissions.
Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support as we work together to invest in the future of our school community.
Kind regards
Annette Diassinas
Recent News
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Welcome to Week 4!
Children’s University
This week we will acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of the Children’s University graduates for 2024. Children’s University is offered to students in Years 2-6 and focusses on celebrating the learning that happens outside the classroom and school environment. Many of our students have been involved for several years. We thank Kim Martin who has co-ordinated the program.
A big congratulations to the following students!
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Angelo F |
Year 2 |
Evie B |
Year 4 |
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Tristan F |
Year 2 |
Chelsea K |
Year 4 |
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Alexander P |
Year 2 |
Jessica C |
Year 5 |
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Toinetta M |
Year 2 |
Elana G |
Year 5 |
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Lilla S |
Year 2 |
Ella S |
Year 6 |
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Thomas P |
Year 3 |
Xavier R |
Year 6 |
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Margot D |
Year 3 |
Chloe K |
Year 6 |
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Maria G |
Year 3 |
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Henry W |
Year 3 |
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End of Year Testing and Data Collection
Currently, our learners across all cohorts are undertaking diagnostic assessments in DIBELS (phonics/reading), PAT R (reading) and PAT M (numeracy). This is part of our ongoing commitment to track student progress, development and growth. These results will be analysed by our classroom teachers and leadership, at an individual, class and whole school level to ascertain areas that show strengths and areas that require an increased focus for 2025. Our DIBELS data will be used to inform Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention supports required for 2025.
Student wellbeing is also collected each term, and it is important to remember that academic success and student wellbeing are closely linked, with each influencing and reinforcing the other. Elements such as self-esteem, persistence, motivation, resilience and a growth mindset all contribute to students’ positive wellbeing and experiences at school. We are encouraged that this will be a priority in 2025 as we commence our whole school commitment to PBIS (Positive Behaviour Intervention Supports).
Numerical Acumen Awards
Year 4TO have been working on their basic number facts using Numerical Acumen. This platform challenges students to master mental computation strategies and aims to increase the recall speed of basic number facts and other mathematical facts as well as improve accuracy and speed to calculate the answers to Mathematic problems. This year, the class entered the Numerical Acumen Semester One Challenge and three of our students have won awards for achievements in the Year 4 category. Congratulations to:
- Florence P – Dedication Award
- Stella P – Improvement Award
- Frankie H – Performance Award
Morning and After School Duty
Just a reminder that children will be supervised by staff in the mornings from 8:20am. We continue to see an increasing number of children being dropped off early and having to wait in the front office. We understand family work commitments, however duty of care is a priority, and in the mornings our staff are fulfilling their beginning of day responsibilities prior to yard supervision. We appreciate your support.
Enjoy the week ahead!
Go well,
Kelly Manera
Acting Deputy Principal
Religious Literacy Assessment Tool (ReLAT) results
Last term our our school participated in an assessment in Religious Education for all Year 4 students in South Australia Catholic Schools. This annual assessment has been developed by the Catholic Education Office.
Religious Education (RE) is a core Learning Area in all Catholic schools. It is a foundation for all learning and is integrated into the life of the school through prayer, liturgy and social justice programs.
ReLAT focuses on knowledge content which is core to the Year 3/ 4 Crossways Religious Education curriculum. As a basic knowledge test, ReLAT complements the continuous, fuller, and deeper assessment of learning that occurs in the RE classroom. It gives results across 5 domains of learning: God, Us and Faith, Sacred Texts, Church for the World, Moral Life and Sacramentality and Prayer.
The results for Star of the Sea were outstanding, with our students being above the state average in all 5 domains.
Mission Week
This week we have been reaching out to others to show our Mercy values in action.
On Tuesday we collected food items which will go to help supply the Vinnies bunker with some much-needed goods. These items will assist Vinnies to reach out and help those in our community who are experiencing hardship, especially as we head into the Christmas season.
Yesterday our SRC reps took the food items over the bunker. Margaret, one of the volunteers, was grateful for all the work we do at Star of the Sea to help them in their important work.
We have also filled a whole section of our library with all the donations of clothes.
The generosity from our community is always heartwarming and overwhelming. A huge thank you to everyone for supporting such a great cause.
Mission Day stalls
Tomorrow we have our Mission Day Stalls. The students are very excited.
Please make sure you have purchased your child/ren’s ticket through QKR. So far, we have raised over $4,700.00. What a terrific effort everyone.
A few reminders for tomorrow:
- It is NOT a casual day – all students can wear their sports uniform.
- Stalls will happen at 1:30-2:30
- If your child has any specific allergies, please make sure their class teacher is aware of this. Accommodations will be made to support them.
We look forward to a fun day and a great way to end all our learning.
Design a Mercy Cross Competition
Today at our Liturgy we announced the winners of the Mercy Cross competition.
Congratulations to the following students:
R-2 Runner Up: Maxton in RH
R-2 Winner: Airlie in 2JI
Years 3-6 Runner Up: Grace in 6S
Years 3-6 Winner: Zara C in 5D
There were many amazing designs, thank you and well done to everyone who entered.
All the class finalists’ designs will be displayed in the office atrium corridor.
An outstanding effort by everyone.
With Gratitude,
Domenique Laurendi
This years Quiz Show saw us reach records numbers with 118 people attending! Our community did not disappoint with all tables getting involved with a table theme and creating a super fun night! A big shout out to our P&F committee for organising the event. We were able to raise over $2,000 which is amazing!
Important Dates
Reception & Yr 1 Liturgy at Church 9.15am
Mission Week Stalls
Year 4 Surf Life Saving
Year 3 Assembly 2.30pm Stella Maris Building
Year 4 Children's Mass
Year 4 Surf Life Saving
Parent Information Meeting @ 9am
At our School Board meeting on Monday, we focused on the development of our school’s external spaces, especially our Oval and Playground. This will remain a key topic as we move into 2025. We’re excited to share that our students will soon have the opportunity to contribute their ideas for the future design of our playground—an initiative we’re sure they’ll enjoy!
Gala 2025: The School Board also discussed plans for our 2025 Star Gala. We look forward to consulting with families to gather ideas that will help make the evening a memorable success for our entire school community.
We had the pleasure of 5 former Star of the Sea students come to visit us. Charlotte, Alex, Olivia, Gabby and Hudson are all preparing to finish their High School journey in the upcoming weeks and wanted to come back to Star as a way of remembering and honouring their entire educational journey, by coming back to the place where it all started.
As the students were walking through the new buildings and reminiscing about their time here, one of the students said that she couldn’t get the smile off her face as the memories she has of Star were so heartwarming. Hudson even wore his old Star of the Sea hat.
As part of their visit, they reconnected with former teachers and spoke with our Year 6 students about the challenges and highlights of finishing Primary School and preparing to go into High School.
Their visit was a reminder of the amazing impact our primary school years has on our students. We are all blessed to be part of this wonderful community.
They got very excited when they saw the friendship bench they had painted and donated as part of their graduation.
Congratulations to Kristen Victory on being recognized for 10 years of dedicated service to SACPSSA! Your hard work and commitment to the Catholic sporting community have made a lasting impact. Here’s to many more years of service and success—well done, Kristen!
Good sleep has great benefits!
Sleep is like magic for babies and children! It:
- Restores Energy: Sleep helps kids feel strong and ready for the day ahead. It's like recharging their batteries!
- Boosts Learning: When babies and children sleep, their brains get supercharged, helping them remember things better and learn new stuff faster.
- Keeps Them Healthy: Sleep makes their bodies strong and helps fight off germs and illness. It's like putting on a superhero suit for their immune system!
- Helps Them Grow: Did you know that children grow when they sleep? It's true! Their bodies make a special growth hormone while they snooze.
Children Need Different Sleep at Different Ages:
- Babies need lots of sleep because they're growing super-fast.
- As children get older, they need a bit less sleep, but it's still super important.
- Sleep changes as kids grow too! Babies sleep a lot during the day, but as they get bigger, they snooze more at night like grown-ups.
How much sleep? At Raisingchildren.net.au we learn that:
- Newborns sleep on and off during the day and night. They sleep for 14-17 hours in every 24 hours.
- Babies 3-6 months usually sleep for 12-15 hours in every 24 hours.
- Toddlers need 11-14 hours of sleep every 24 hours. Usually this is a sleep of 10-12 hours a night, and a nap of 1-2 hours during the day.
- Children aged 3-5 years need 10-13 hours of sleep a night.
- Children aged 5-11 years need 9-11 hours of sleep a night.
- Teenagers generally need about 8-10 hours of sleep a night.
Adults? We need good sleep too and 8 hours a night is a good amount. Sleeping well helps us concentrate, cope with life’s stressors, and more easily make plans and decisions.
If your child is sick.....
Unfortunately, children are sick from time to time and not in a condition to be at school, possibly sharing illness with others. We appreciate that it can be difficult to make a decision as a parent to determine if your child is ‘sick enough’ to stay away from school. We have had several students unwell this week and ask for your support to keep your child home until they are fit to be back at school.
Piano Exam Results
I am very proud of the 4 students who worked hard to achieve such excellent results in their grade 2 and grade 3 piano exams at Adelaide University last week.
They are: Sophia, Chloe, Leo and Hannah Reader (now at Nazareth school).
Well done
Helen Wedding
Friday 29 November
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