St Benedict's Primary School Edgeworth eNewsletter

Welcome to the Week 6 Newsletter. This week in the newsletter we unpack our Partners in Learning project before launching or Term 1 Parent Teacher interview bookings via COMPASS. We are very excited about the potential of this process (of whcih the meetings are the first step) to really drill down to excellence in learning for every child with all partners at the table and look forward to all parents taking up the invitation to particpate. I also unpack some key dates that are on our calendars

Partners in Learning

Last week, we launched a goal for 2023: To build Partnership in Learning between parents and teachers to promote student learning. The Semester Report (Achievement) works at the end of Semester 1 and 2 as they are points in time. However, that timeline is not effective in proactively discussing the current challenges and setting goals to overcome these as part of their ongoing learning journey. Comments such as “too late to find out” were well heard in the survey data. To that end, the staff developed the following goal to work towards in 2023.

The new timeline is to conduct parent teacher meetings during Term 1 and at the beginning of Term 3. Please see the below section for details on how to book these meetings via COMPASS.

Teacher Goal Setting

The second part of this goal is to reconsider the purpose of these "Partners in Learning" meetings. We propose the following key purposes.

To discuss how the student has settled into learning routines
To discuss challenges or areas of development that have been noted.
To set goals to become the focus over the following semester.

Once set, these goals are visible to parents via the Insights Tab on Compass and become one of the learning focuses for the rest of Term 1 and across Term 2. Feedback on these goals are then embedded into the Semester report (in addition to the rest that is included in that report).

Parent centred goal setting.

Our end goal in this partnership is to invite parents to add their own goals for their child as part of the process, thereby setting two separate goals. However, we are starting with the teacher setting the goals for Semester 1 this year (collaboratively with parents in the meeting) and then use the feedback in the Semester 1 report to have parents consider goals they'd like to include alongside the teacher's. This can be the point of discussion when meeting with teachers in Term 3 in readiness for Semester 2.

Student Goal Setting

By the end of the year we hope to have established a dual partnership in learning and then we can consider inviting some student centred goal setting into the conversation. We are very excited about the potential of this process to really drill down to excellence in learning for every child with all partners at the table. Below is a mindmap of where we hope this project is going.

Partners_in_Learning_Steps_for_Implementation.pdf

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The first step is the Term 1 Parent Teacher Conferences outlined below.

Term 1 Parent Teacher Meetings - Partners in Learning

Parent Teacher Interviews to discuss student's current learning and achievement with the purpose to set goals moving forward will be held in Weeks 8 and 9 of this term (13th March - 24th March).

Bookings for these meetings can be made via COMPASS from 5pm Wednesday 1st March. We look forward to meeting with all parents and building greater parnterships in learning. Below is a printout of some screen shots of what the booking process will look like if you are using the computer. It will be slightly different on your phones, look for the conference tab via the "more" tab at the bottom right of your screen or the "Conferences now open" alert at the top of your home page.

Upcoming Events and Dates

have spent some time over the last week going over and confirming dates for the back half of this term. It didn't take long for me to realise that the back end always fills up quickly with dates. I also realise this can get very confusing so I have put together the attached PDF. Whilst not a full planner, these dates provide a snapshot of key events across the next 5 weeks (until the end of term) as well as the all important start dates for Term 2. Many of the events will be unpacked in more detail via this newsletter and, if applicable, COMPASS events closer to the dates but we thought it helpful to supply the dates now for your reference. As always we ask parents to confirm all details on COMPASS, especially start times, which may vary between now and then. The information in this document is as confirmed as we can make it at this stage.

Upcoming_Dates_Term_1_2023_.pdf

Upcoming_Dates_Term_1_2023 pdf 304.31 KB

Have a great week,

Jules

Phone - 4958 1858

Email - admin@edgeworth.catholic.edu.au

Fee Statements

The first fee statement for 2023 will be coming out to families this week.

Please check your statement carefully. Health care & Pension card discounts have now been applied.

Fees can be paid weekly, fornightly, monthly or in a lump sump. Fee payments can be made via cash, cheque, BPAY, money order, credit card (over the phone), and EFTPOS. Direct debit from your bank, credit union or building society account is also available. Please contact the Finance Officer for this method of payment.

Please be aware that if your direct debit is dishonoured more than three times the school will cancel the deduction. For any dishonoured direct debit, the school is charged a fee of $2.50 by your financial institution. This fee will be passed on to the fee payer and will appear on the next statement. No receipts are issued – please check your bank account for proof of payment.

Fees are to be paid in full by the 30 Novemeber unless a prior agreement has been made with our school.

LENT a time to REPENT

The Latin word sacramentum means ‘a sign of the sacred.’ Sacraments are ceremonies that point to what is sacred, significant and important for Catholics. They are special occasions for experiencing God's saving presence and are signs of God's grace. Celebrating sacraments is such an important part of our lives. Lent is a perfect time to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation as we are called to repent and to come back into a loving relationship with Our Lord and Saviour.

Reconciliation is a time in which we come to ask for God’s forgiveness. This leads me to think, God easily forgives us, why do we sometimes find it hard to forgive others?

God has given us specific direction within the sacred Scriptures, all of which can be summed up in just one word FORGIVE! God is saying that it is in our own best interest to forgive others. Our hearts are a little lighter when we forgive or are forgiven. He is not talking about what is in the best interest of the person who needs to be forgiven. We are the ones who God is trying to protect. We are the ones who receive the most benefit from forgiveness, not the other person. A spirit of unforgiveness complicates and compromises our daily lives.

Forgiving others releases us from anger and allows us to receive the healing we need. The whole reason God has given us specific direction is because He does not want anything to stand between us and Him. God's love for us is beyond our comprehension. Forgiving others spares us from the consequences of living out of an unforgiving heart. This Lent we are challenged not only to seek forgiveness but to also offer forgiveness with an open heart.

Yours in faith,

Miss Michelle Collins

Maths Mania at SBE

As outlined by Jules in our parent meet and greet earlier this term, St. Benedict's has 4 focus goals for 2023. One of those goals is regularly using data to track achievement and growth while informing teachers 'where to next'.

Last week all teachers engaged in their first PLT (Professional Learning Teams) meeting for 2023. These teams are a combination of classroom teachers, specialists teachers and the executive memebers. Theses teams focus on analysis of data, followed by a collaborative discussion as a stage or grade group, on what this data is telling us to plan ahead.

Our PLT meetings are held every 3 weeks and this creates time for a 3 week data cycle. Each grade chooses a specific focus area in Maths and collects initial data (pre-data). This data is analysed to set specific goals for each child and the grade cohort around foundational capability such as skip counting, place value and splitting numbers, friends to 10/ 20 or 100. The teachers collaboratively plan targeted activities with these goals as a priority. At the end of the 3 week cycle, the teachers collect post data (after the 3 week teaching cycle) for discussion at the next PLT. This is a time to celebrate the successes and growth of our students and plan for the next 3 weeks cycle.

The Maths data cycle wall is visible for all teachers to see and some of the conversations around the wall is fabulous! It really is a reminder that we do own ALL of the students, no matter what our role is in the school.

The teachers in K-2 are planning using the outcomes from the new K-2 Mathematics syllabus, and the numeracy progressions to target specific goals and track student growth. The 3-6 teachers are using our new online platform 'Essential assessment', aligned to the 3-6 Mathematics syllabus to pre and post assess each student based on the specific goal agreed upon on their PLT's. This supports teachers in data driven teaching by providing curriculum aligned data to plan and monitor growth.

Diocesan Swimming Carnival

Congratulations to Jackson Smith, Kiani Miller and Brianna Bassford who represented our Lakes Region at the Diocesan Swimming Championships the Forum Swimming Pool last Tuesday.

A special Mention to Kiani Miller who was placed third in the Girls 9Yrs 50m Freestyle. Kiani will now represent the Maitland/Newcastle Diocese at the Polding Chanpionships, to be held at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre on Thursday 30th March.

Kiani celebrating her selection in the Diocesan Swimming Team.

Diocesan Winter Sport Trials

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected to attend various Diocesan Winter Sport Trials throughout the month of March.

Eli Guihot - Diocesan Boys Touch Football

Joshua Saopa - Diocesan Boys Football

Caleb Isaac - Diocesan Boys AFL

Hannah Gossage - State Trials Girls AFL

Billy Johnson - U11 Rugby League

Well done and all the very best!

School Athletics Carnival

Save the date - This year's School Athletics Carnival will be held at Glendale Athletics Centre in Term 2 on Monday 8th May.

Go Matildas!!

It was great to see so many of our St Benedict's girls participating in the lead up to the Cup Of Nations International Women's Soccer Tournament last Wednesday at McDonald Jones Stadium.

Our girls, who all play for Edgeworth Eagles, were game mascots for the Czech Republic v Spain and the Matildas v Jamaica games. They also led the 'Lap of Little Legends Parade,' before the Matildas match. According to reports, the girls were able to get the whole crowd, "singing and rocking!!' Well done to our future Matildas. Go girls!!

Soccer Gala Day - Yrs 4 - 6

We are hoping to send teams to this great event at Speers Point next week on Wednesday the 8^th of March. Interest was asked from the relevant classes and we have sent out specific invites to those students who expressed interest. We really need the parents of those students to get on Compass and accept the opt in event and pay the monies as per Compass invite. That is, if they would like to their child to participate, feel free to decline the event if your child has second thoughts, although please note the day has been set up with a view to include as many new players to soccer as possible. No experience is necessary, come along, represent the school and have fun with your friends.

Hopefully, there will be further gala days later in the year where we can broaden our reach and include the year 3 cohort, and get them along to the day as well.

Mr John McGill

P&F UPDATE

EASTER RAFFLE

Donation of Easter eggs and Easter related items for our upcoming Easter Raffle can now be delivered to the office. Raffle tickets will go on sale next week via QKR.

CANTEEN UPDATE

The Canteen is open on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. If you have any spare time from 9am – 12pm on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays and are interested in volunteering in the Canteen please let the office and Canteen Supervisor Haley Fenwick know. It can also be a one off occasion or a couple of times a year. This will ensure the Canteen can remain open.

P&F MEETING

Our next meeting will be held on Monday the 13^th of March via Zoom. To receive the zoom link for the meeting please email the P&F Executive at: parentsandfriends.sbcps@gmail.com

DATES TO REMEMBER

Monday 13^th of March – P&F Meeting via Zoom.

Thursday 6^th of April – Easter Raffle Drawn

Congratulations to the following student who received PBL encouragment awards or Spirti of Jesus Awards at this week's PBL Assembly

Class	PBL Encouragement Award	Spirit of Jesus Awards
KR	Georgia Cambourn	Kyah-Jade Walker
KB	Bonnie Novoselski	Benny Steele
1R	Cruz Mansley	Violet Eifler Jonty Guihot
1B	Everlee Grainger	Lucas Marks
2R	Madeline Richards	Bentley Francis
2B	Heidi Fenwick	Heidi Fenwick
3R	Sophie Williams	Logan Shakespeare
3B	Isaac Rose	Isobel Curran
4R	Jackson Delaney Nixon Brock
4B	Olivia Price
5R	Charli Howarth	Casey McGovern (From Mrs D) Jack Searle
5B	Scarlett Rose	Audrey Roberts
6R	Lexi Kinniard	Beau Ryan Grace Alexander Tara Delany
6B	James Irvine	Oliver Tickner