OCL Take Home Packs

Mrs Michelle McDonnell - Principal
Parents should have received a text message on Thursday regarding collection of additional Off Campus Learning resources which will be available to collect between 11.00am - 1.00pm on Monday, 23 August 2021. 

If collecting this presents a difficulty for your family, please make contact with the School Office: 4627 2990 so we can support this process.

Please note that Year 3 received all requirements for Off Campus Learning in the previous pack and do not need to collect anything further.
 

Checking In/Mask Wearing

Please ensure that if you leave your car at any point during drop off or pick up times, or if attending School Reception that you are checking in using the Service NSW QR Code.  We have placed these on boards at all access points to the school and it is essential that all parents utilise these. 
 
Our strong preference is that all students K-6 are dropped off and collected through the drive through. Parents should also ensure that they maintain 1.5m distance from each other and our school staff at all times. Please ensure that all parents are wearing a mask, both in and out of vehicles.
 
Thank you for your help in keeping our community safe.
 

Approaches to Learning MINISERIES

Each fortnight, commencing from Week 7, I plan to include information relating to the Approaches to Learning, or ATL's for short. Families will have noticed that as a school, we now report on the ATL's as part of our Semester reports. 
 
The Approaches to Learning (ATL's) are a fundamental element of the IB framework, requiring students to develop skills that will enable them to 'learn how to learn'. This sounds like a rather strange statement, however, I personally connect with the concept of flight development within birds - baby birds need to learn how to fly, and this is done so, by intentional teaching and progressive steps by the parent. Our teachers plan for intentional learning experiences that enable our students to practice and refine specific skills related to the ATL's. You will most likely find that you as parents, are also embedding these opportunities naturally, as the ATL's link beautifully with normal day to day life.
 
Our desire is for students to become independent learners, aligned with age appropriate skill level as well as academic ability. In developing this independence, students develop pride in their ability and confidence within themselves. They learn to become risk-takers in their learning, stretching their current ability, and developing a growth mindset - an attitude that changes 'I can't do this' to 'I can't do this YET'.
 
In Week 7, we will explore an ATL that is mostly frequently being used as a part of Off Campus Learning, which is Self-Management. 

 

Year 6 Exhibition

Please note that due to the current situation in regards to Off Campus Learning, we have made the decision to change the timing for the Year 6 Exhibition until later in the year with the hopes we are able to invite families onsite as part of this celebration. 
Further information will be provided later this term. 

Programme of Inquiry Noticeboard

We are pleased to announce that a new noticeboard can be found at our Administration building, outlining the Programme of Inquiry. 
The Programme of Inquiry shares the learning that takes place across the school, from Pre-Kindergarten through to Year 6, across the course of the school year. Families are encouraged, when appropriate to do so, to connect with this display and share in the learning journey of all our students within 2021. 

Draft K - 2 English and Mathematics Syllabus

Parents may be interested to learn that these syllabus documents are in their final draft stage, with a requirement for schools to commence implementation as of 2022. If you are interested in viewing these documents, please head to  https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/
These documents outline prescriptive requirements for the whole school community to support the development of foundational skills required for our youngest learners in regards to both literacy and numeracy. 
Intentional time will be set aside as part of Staff Professional Development, to ensure these documents are embedded well into the outstanding education we already provide.

ICAS Reminder

As a school, we have elected to participate in the October testing window for the ICAS Assessments. Please be reminded that the Payment Portal window is still open should you wish for your child to participate.
 

This Too Shall Pass

Mr Peter Stevenson - Dean of Biblical Studies

You don’t get flowers without rain. Or a view without a hike.

These are the words I cling to in hard times, these are the words I’ve been telling my Year 4 class. Good times will come again and it won’t be long till we are back in school with our mates. 

In my daily zoom calls, I do my check-in. Could be a finger shoot, or a thumbs-up rating. Some days I get 10 out of 10 others it’s 5, some days, however, are just a fist and no smile. 

This lockdown is hard. And students in Primary School notice that things aren’t normal. They notice they aren’t at school, they notice the stress. 

Currently, in Year 4’s Unit of Inquiry, we are looking at rights and responsibilities. We asked our students what rights and responsibilities do we have during the lockdown. I was blown away by the responses, the maturity and the perspectives shown. I called a few families to check and asked about the task. 

The parents said that they had such a deep conversation with their children about this concept. The answers the students came up with were, 

Rights: go to the shops, seek medical treatment, exercise etc. 

Responsibilities: wear a mask, hand sanitise, check-in and check out, stay home if sick.

As part of the task, the students were asked about their responsibilities in school, families, themselves and the environment. 

One answer really made me think “to have the best childhood I can”.

Right now children are missing parts of their childhood, but they will come back again. What they are gaining is a perspective on how the world is different. That they have rights and also responsibilities. And right now individual responsibility is probably the most important it has been for generations.

I wonder what our students will remember about this time in five or ten years. What will they tell their own children? 

Imagine how our students will respond when their children complain of being bored….. 

“you’re bored, I wasn’t allowed to go to school for 5+ weeks, we weren’t allowed to see our friends or extended family. Bored, you say you’re bored, you have no idea.”

I think our students will come out of this fine, I think many will appreciate the small things again, like seeing a mate and passing a footy or playing handball. Or sitting in the sun with a few friends talking about whatever…. 

You don’t get flowers without rain, you don’t get a view without a hike. 

You can’t appreciate the good without enduring the bad.

Take care, good days will come again.

Stage 2

Stage 2, consists of Years 3 and 4, or our middle school students. Our students are becoming more independent in their learning opportunities and are expressing themselves in creative ways. As they are typically 9 and 10 years old, they are gaining confidence, building friendships, pushing themselves in sport, and still want to play on the weekends. Through our Units of Inquiry and our Learning Programme, they learn to be thinkers, caring, inquirers and open-minded to the world around them. 

Through our Literacy Programme, students are reading more challenging texts, and their reading skills expand to identify literal and inferential meaning. Students are encouraged to understand the text from the author’s point of view. Through their writing, we encourage them to use paragraphs to add structure and use grammatical features to enhance their expressions. 

Students in Stage 2 are expected to take on more responsibility, such as bringing their pencil case to school, using school technology and in Year 4 receiving their Chromebook computer. In addition, in Year 4, students receive their pen licence and can write in pen.  There is always much excitement around gaining their pen licence and another coming of age experience.

During Stage 2, students use efficient mental and written strategies to solve problems in Mathematics, as well as technology to investigate mathematical concepts and check their solutions. Our big focus within Mathematics is learning the timetables. I often have conversations with parents and encourage them to get a poster chart from Officeworks and stick it on the back of the bathroom door to help the memorisation of these.  As a school,  we continue to explore more authentic inquiry and how we use Mathematics in our everyday lives. For example, we investigate measurement and geometry concepts and create graphs to display statistics with authentic links to our Units of Inquiry.

Throughout our Units of Inquiry, students are continuing to investigate the world around them. These include looking at the people who built Australia through our Aussie Notables Unit in Year 4,  and our Year 3 students identifying the living and non-living aspects of our world. Our students also learn how they have similarities and differences and how different cultures celebrate events around the world. 

Through these learning experiences, our students learn what it means to be influential citizens and empathise with those around them.  

One of the most exciting aspects of Stage 2 is ‘Rep Sport’, where our students try out for either Cricket, mixed Soccer, Oz Tag, or Basketball in the Summer months or Winter, Netball, Volleyball, Soccer, and AFL. There is much excitement around these and sadly heartache when students don’t make it into a team. However, students are learning fundamental life skills and resilience through these opportunities.  

Year 3 and 4 students are so much fun to teach. They are interested and eager. They are starting to gain that independence and confidence, yet still, get overwhelmed and scared. It is so enjoyable to walk with them through this. 

Positions Vacant

We are currently advertising for the following positions:
  • Classroom Teachers (Casual)
  • Bus Driver (Permanent & Casual) 

Please visit our School Website to apply: https://www.stpeters.nsw.edu.au/discover/employment/

Prayer Points

  • Pray for the ongoing COVID crisis that it will end soon, and we can be back at school together. 

  • Pray for our families and work situations and parents juggling working from home and for Off Campus Learning. 

  • Pray for our Medical Professionals as they treat patients with COVID, that they have good rest and that they are safe. 

School Calendar

Term 3
Monday, 19 July 2021 - Friday, 17 September 2021
Week 6
Monday, 23 August 2021

Literature Day

Friday, 27 August 2021 

Year 3 Camp - Postponed

Week 7

Thursday, 2 September 2021

1.30pm - 2.30pm: Secondary School - Online Information Session

Friday, 3 September 2021

Intumbane Slipper Day

Wellbeing Week

This week has been intentionally a week to focus on wellbeing. The general feeling of tiredness, exhaustion and screen overload is real. Many are struggling with the realities of learning and working from home, which we acknowledge isn't easy. As such, it has been so encouraging to see so many families electing to take a break this week - mid term - on a day of their choosing.
 
What is also encouraging is the huge variety of wellbeing focused activities that our students are getting up to. Remember it is OK to go slow and it is OK to rest! Remember we trust you! We know that every family is different, so just keep your class teachers aware of how things are going with you. 
 
It is important that students are connected to the zoom meetings with their video's on. This is as much about the social and emotional wellbeing of the girls and boys as it is about academics. 
 
Of course, if there are challenges in your household, just let us know! We are realistic and want to support you.
 
I want to continue to commend our staff who are navigating the complexities of this extended lockdown, yet continue to advocate and care for their students in their classes. I couldn't ask for better and I know you join me in thanking them.
 
Likewise our students are exceptional - their resilience and curiosity continue to inspire us to keep on going. Please don't hesitate to let us know what your child is up to, or if you need advice, or have a query, we are just a phone call away!
 
I am a firm believer in the benefit of feedback and we genuinely want to hear from you about what is working and what isn't. 
As such, I have organised a Zoom Drop in with the Executive Staff next Friday afternoon 27, August at 1:45pm. We'd love to hear your suggestions, your feedback and generally be able to connect as the current restrictions allow. 
 
No need to RSVP, just jump in if you're available. Please click here to join our Zoom Drop In. 
We will organise some other times, if this is a successful way of touching base with our community. 
 
Skeleton Staff:
 
A reminder that the school only has skeleton staff on site each day to care for students who must be at school. 
This will be reduced further from Monday next week as I do all I can to ensure the wellbeing of our staff also.
If you have to send your children to school because you are working away from home, please complete the form sent by Mrs McDonnell in advance so we can ensure appropriate on site supervision of Off Campus Learning. 
 
Our COVID updates are all available on our website. Please click here for your convenience. 
 
I continue to pray for you all. If I can be of assistance, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
 

Creative Kids Vouchers

The NSW government has continued to offer the Creative Kids Vouchers throughout the 2021 Calendar year. Parents, guardians and carers can apply for a voucher with a value of up to $100 for each student aged 4.5 to 18 years old who are enrolled in school. To check your eligibility for the Creative Kids voucher and to view the full list of related activities,  please visit the Service NSW website:

https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-creative-kids-voucher

There are many organisations who have jumped on board with this venture that allow families to purchase creative kits (with a small fee for postage) and online lessons using their Creative Kids voucher. These organisations provide creative supplies and lessons with a focus on visual arts, craft, music, STEAM, languages, creative writing, architecture and much more. Please see below for a few options to get you started or search ‘Creative Kids Registered Providers’ online for a more extensive range of available services. 

Creative Kids Wonderland 

https://www.creativekidswonderland.com.au/

Splash on Peel 

https://www.splashonpeel.com.au/

Brilliant Kids 

https://brilliantkids.com.au/shop/

Charlie Boots

https://charlieboots.com.au/