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Welcome to the Week 7 Newsletter.
There is no doubt we are at the business end of the Semester as we take the time to pause in the ongoing teaching and learning to gather assessment data and analyse current learning achievement and growth across all learning areas. Assessment is critical to inform next learnings. It drives the direction of the content and skills to be covered but it also allows the differentiation of that content and skill to meet each child where they are at in their learning to progress them onto their next steps.
Semester Reports and Insight Goal Feedback Underway
Semester Report Writing – Teachers are currently readying the reports for publication. Given that we have already conducted the Parent Teacher meetings (Insight/ Goal setting meetings in Term 1) for this semester and intended to do the same early Term 3 for semester 2, we are delaying publication of the reports to Wednesday of Week 10. (In the past we have allowed two weeks for those interviews and have published in Week 8).
Insights Teachers are completing feedback on the insights goals that were set last term. These will appear in the Insights Tab as they are completed, and parents can read them there OR they will also be automatically generated onto the bottom of the report for parent reference alongside the other aspects of the report we are to assess and report on. We schedule the next Insights Meetings early in Term 3 – Weeks 3 and 4.
In the weeks leading up to the publishing of the reports we will use the newsletter once again, to unpack what will be in them and how this will help to build an understanding of your childs learning in Semester 1 and porgress overall.
Looking Ahead to the End of Term and the Start of Next.
Around about this time of any term, we begin to update our calendar watch for the reaminder of this term and into the next. While severla of the events have been annoucned and discussed spearately, it is often only when you look at them on a whole calendar that you begin to recognise the befnefit of sharing this with all members of the community. As always, the details in this attahcemnt are current as of today. Updates and clarifcations will be made via COMPASS as this is a live calendar and news feed.
School Transitions - The beginning of something new and the start of something ending.
As often happens in schools, I am struck by two different transitions happening in our school at the same time. I am currently conducting Kinder 2024 enrolment interviews as our ‘soon to be newest’ member of SBE begin their "Big School" journey. Meanwhile, our Year 6 students had a very worthwhile afternoon at St Pauls last Friday as they begin to explore their own transition to high school. It is an important phase for Year 6 as they balance their next steps while still making the most of the here and now. Such an exciting time all round.
Have a great week,
Jules Mulhearn
DIMISSAL and PARKING
We had another contact from a neighbour this week sharing their understandable concern that they are being parked into their driveways- on this occasion it was on ,,,,, St. On one occasion they missed their appointment. I cannot blame our neighbours in their frustration in this situation. I once again implore our parents to be mindful of your parking in the afternoon. In fairness to our neighbours? ….. certainly as this is the decent thing to be doing but also being mindful of the potential to incur significant fines and points lost off our licences.
School Office
Phone: 4958 1858
Email:admin@edgeworth.catholic.edu.au
Admin/ Finance Officer Suzi Di-Nardo Monday to Friday
Admin Office Mary Bruce Monday, Thursday & Friday
We would like to welcome Mary Bruce to our school office. Mary will be working in the office Monday, Thursday & Friday for Term 2. Mary comes with many years experience in a school office enviroment and will be an asset to our school.
FEES
Statements are sent out at the beginning of each month. Your next statement will be in the last week of Term 1 - First week in May.Please check your Junk Mail if you have not received your statement.
Your first installment for the year should have been paid by now. First payments were due by th 31st March.
Please arrange for a regular weekly, fortnightly or monthly Bpay, Direct Debit or an annual payment. If you are paying by instalments we ask that your first instalment is made by 31 March and the debt extinguished by 30 November 2023. If paying in full please ensure this payment is made by 30 June 2023.
Additional costs may apply throughout the year for representative sport and other extracurricular activities.
Payments can be also be accepted at the administration office between 8.30am-3.00pm Monday to Friday or credit card payments can be taken over the phone.
Being Compassionate and Empowering Action
There is something empowering about a sense of purpose that derives from a deepening understanding of compassion for those doing it tough. It is something that can only be felt in the act of doing. Our students in the Mini Vinnie group have shown real leadership in preparing for our Winter Appeal next week.
The Mini Vinnies group (led by our Service Leaders) had a visit from St Vincent de Paul to discuss what can be done to support SVDP’s work and they also approached the local Oz Harvest group in their work to ensure no one goes hungry. As a result we have an exciting and proactive day planned next Thursday.
The attached flyer from The Mini Vinnies group explains everything in detail. However, I wanted to acknowledge the power of student voice which has enabled the day in the first instance (this was a proposal from the Student Parliament) and the work of our Service Leaders and the Mini Vinnies group in planning and researching the practical ways in which we can help the community across these two important organisations.
This is a great example of at least three elements of our Wellbeing framework in action - Student VOICE, BE Compassionate and EMPOWER action. I look forward to a great day at SBE and well done to everyone involved!!!!!
Teaching and Curriculum Update
NEW PROFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR NAPLAN
From this year, parents and carers will get earlier, simpler and clearer information about their child’s NAPLAN achievement based on new, more rigorous national standards.
New proficiency standards with 4 levels of achievement for each year level will replace the previous 10-band structure. The new proficiency standards include a baseline benchmark to identify students who are likely to need additional support.
The standard for proficiency is set at a challenging but reasonable level. If your child is in the Strong or Exceeding category, it means they have demonstrated proficiency and that their literacy or numeracy skills are where they should be at this stage of their schooling.
If your child has not yet achieved proficiency, then they will either be in the Developing category or the Needs additional support category.
NAPLAN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT REPORT
The numerical NAPLAN bands and the national minimum standard will be replaced by the following 4 levels of achievement:
• Exceeding: The student’s result exceeds expectations at the time of testing.
• Strong: The student’s result demonstrates proficiency by meeting challenging but
reasonable expectations at the time of testing.
• Developing: The student’s result indicates that they are working towards expectations at the time of testing and are approaching proficiency.
• Needs additional support: The student’s result indicates that they are not achieving the learning outcomes expected at the time of testing. They are likely to need additional support to progress satisfactorily.
The descriptors for each category will make it clear to parents what their child’s literacy and numeracy skills are at the time of NAPLAN testing.
Student reports will continue to show the national average and the range of achievement for the middle 60 per cent of students in their year level, allowing comparison of a child’s achievement against these measures. Detailed information on the knowledge and skills being measured in each NAPLAN assessment will be made available on the NAP website.
NESA is currently developing NSW specific reporting advice for schools, which we will update you with once finalised.
We are anticipating that we will receive NAPLAN School and Student Summary Reports before the end of this term and Individual Student Reports at the beginning of Term 3. We are still awaiting confirmation of exact dates but we will continue keep you informed.
Issue 4, 2023 out now
Orders to be placed through LOOP only
‘Thank you’ to everyone who purchase items from Book Club throughout the year. As a result of these purchases, the school is able to select new resources for our library.
All students have now received the June issue of Book Club.
Issue 4 orders should be completed by Monday, 12 June 2023. If you have an enquiry you can email me at pam.nicolaidis@mn.catholic.edu.au.
Please use Scholastic’s excellent on-line ordering platform (go to scholastic.com.au/LOOP or download the LOOP app) to place your child’s order, then pay by credit card.
For more information about Scholastic and Book Club, visit www.scholastic.com.au
Mrs Pam Nicolaidis
Book Club Co-Ordinator and Library Assistant
Year 3 Awabakal Excursion
On the 30th of May on a lovely autumn day Year 3 went on their excursion to the Awabakal Nature Reserve. Firstly, Year 3 learnt about how the land we live on is the land of the Awabakal people and that the word Awabakal means Awaba-flat surface referring to the area of Lake Macquarie and its water and the end part of the word kal-means man which overall the word means man of flat surface. Year 3 learnt that the Awabakal people only used what they needed off the land that is they were sustainable when living off the land.
For the second part of the excursion Year 3 learnt about how the land at Awabakal was changed throughout time. Year 3 learnt that the hollow in the bush was created as people needed sand for laying bricks, they learnt that the metal rail in the bush was used to keep horses in, that trees were removed in the past to gather and pull coal through the bush, dirt mounds were created to help slow the water down when it rains so access can be maintained and that BHP who mined the sand at Awabakal in the past took a lot of the bush away and in return planted an introduced plant called Bitter Bush in order to stop the sand from blowing away.
For the third part of the excursion Year 3 went for a walk through the reserve towards the beach area where they learnt about how the Awabakal people used the ocean and different plants and trees that grew in the area to survive. Some of these plants and trees included the Banksia Tree which once dried and peeled the hard core of the plant could be set on fire and used as a torch. The Grass Tree Plant would attract lizards which the aboriginal people would eat. The Bracken Fern was used by the Awabakal people to be roasted and then mashed up to form a type of mash potato and the Burrowing Pine produced fruits to eat and could be used as a form of medicine. Year 3 also learnt that Aboriginal people used ochre pits to paint themselves for ceremonial purposes and the ochre was also used as a sunscreen. Finally, they learnt about the how Aboriginal people utilised the ocean for food and about how Aboriginal people would use middens (empty shells from shellfish) to maintain sustainability. They did this by if they noticed a lot of the same middens on the ground from other Aboriginal groups, they would target another shellfish to eat.
The next part of the excursion was Year 3 walking along the lagoons that were in the reserve and learning about how the Awabakal people would utilise this area in a sustainable way to survive. Year 3 firstly listened to an Aboriginal dreaming story about how coal (Nikkin) was made, and they learnt how important coal was to Aboriginal people and that it was used mainly for fires and in exchange for other items. The students then learnt how to make a Coolamon and what it was used for. They learnt this was done by cutting bark out of the side of the trees and it was used for carrying things in such as food as well as babies. The students were then given an activity of building an Aboriginal shelter called a Gunyah out of sticks and paper bark.
The next stage of the excursion students viewed real artefacts that were used by the Awabakal People, and they were also told what they were used for. Some of these artefacts included Coolamon-used for carrying things in, Merewether Chert-a special stone that Awabakal People would use as a cutting tool, different types of boomerangs used for hunting animals, a grass tree spear, a Woomera- an instrument Aboriginal people would use to make the spear to go further when it was thrown, a turbine shell which was used to make hooks out of, a Dilly Bag to carry things in and a Digeridoo. Finally, Year 3 had a go at creating fire through friction like the Aboriginal people did by using a piece of wood called a Drill and a stick.
Year 3 had a great day and learnt a lot about how the Awabakal people lived and used the land.
P&F UPDATE
Thank you to those that attended our P&F Meeting last night. Our next meeting will be Monday 31st of July, 7pm via zoom.
CANTEEN UPDATE
We are glad that everyone is enjoying the new winter menu. Just a few reminders for students who have been ordering the HOT CHOCOLATES:
- Hot Chocolates can be ordered via QKR or purchased over the counter with cash.
- Hot Chocolates will be served in the first break. This is 10:40am for Primary and 11:10am for infants.
- For Hot Chocolates ordered via QKR. Students need to present to the canteen with their lunch order bags to collect their hot chocolates.
Please see below for the roster for the rest of the week:
Wednesday 7/6/2023 |
Friday 09/06/2023 |
Monday 12/6/2023 |
T. Oakes |
A. Salmon |
Public Holiday - Closed |
H. Fenwick |
L. Creek |
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H. Fenwick |
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Congratulations to the following stduents who received their PBL milestones this week!
Class |
PBL Certificate |
PBL Ribbon |
Spirit of Jesus Awards |
KR |
Lola Bailey, Ashlyn Ireland-Swan, Malia Kelly, Cora Pont, Charlotte Price, William Sessions |
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KB |
Oliver O'Brien, Wyatt Bobeth, Tex Reid, Hamish O'Donnell, Alexia Bertwistle, Connor Robertson |
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1R |
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1B |
Pippa Groeneveld, Adysen Keen, Finnley McCormick, Ava Isbester, Evie Shelley, Avitaj kang Blake Atkins, Blake Skardon, Giselle Arnold Nate Peachman, Lucas Steel, Lucas Marks Penelope-Rose Boyle, Lachlan Hall, Kobie Googe |
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2R |
Sofia Golovodovski, Blake Bird, Connor Moncrieff, Zeb Shadwell, Jackson Smith, Rhys Toohey |
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2B |
Ayda Bevan, Claire Tickner |
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3R |
Chevy Byrnes-Steere, Tyler Myers-Perrett |
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3B |
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Isla Hopkins |
4R |
Tayla Rosetti, Ivie Oakes, Charlotte-Grace Carter, Reeva Tamang, Mia Sabeesh, Maddison Mansley, Ethan Mukondo |
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4B |
Evie White, Oliver Britton, Madeline Howell, Alanah Georgalis, Layla Creek |
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5R |
Josie Gloury from Wk 5 (50 bennies), Aiden Alderson, Miller Burgess |
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5B |
Isla Durazza, Finn Sharwood, Billy Johnson, Audrey Roberts, Oliver Harris, Ethan Smith, Brady Leighton, Zac Skardon, Marley Cochrane-Finlay, Aadhavan Diwakaran, Jack Van Der Zee |
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6R |
Byron Alexander, Steve Sebastian, Tara Delaney, Lily Goff, Taylor Jewell, Connor Moore, Charlotte, Murphy, Steeve Saneesh |
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6B |
Lucas Kelly, Ruby Bennett, Kirk Gilbert, Piper, Fitzhenry, Hannah Gossage, Sofia Nymoen |
Savannah Wolloff Ruby Bennett |
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