Term 2 Week 3 2021 (7/5/2021)
Happy Mother's Day to all signifcant role models in our community.
What Is On?
Tuesday 11th May to Friday 14th May - NAPLAN
Thursday 13th May - AEDC data day
Monday 24th May - Our Lady Help of Christians Feast Day - National Mass at approximately 11am
Wednesday 26th May - Dio Cross Country-Grafton
Wednesday 26th May - National Sorry Day
Thursday 27th May - Thursday 3rd June - National Reconciliation Week
Dear Parents and Carers
So wonderful to have the community join us in the past weeks. If you haven't made it in lately please remember you are very welcome any time. Ring the Office, sign in at the office, grab a lanyard and go for a visit.
This morning for Mother's Day Breakfast we were so pleased to have so many of our community with us. In preparing this newletter, I googled Mother's Day images and considered how those images really do not represent our community.
There were no images of mums playing a fierce game of handball or being "ripped" by a 6 year old child.
There were no shots of mums gathering to catch up with friends in the coffee queue or cheering over being described as "more beautiful than the models downtown in the shop windows" in a handmade card.
We perhaps need to start our own images for Googling which represent us.
If you check out the instagram account you may see who we really are at Saint James. Can I also acknowledge and thank all the staff for their pre-planning and very early start to make sure the welcome mats were down and that the BBQ was ready.
Have a lovely weekend
Ann
Mother's Day Breakfast
Congratulations
Congratulations to Emily and Jo O'Keeffe on the safe arrival of Paddy James O'Keeffe.
RE News
Over a number of years we have looked to building a stronger Catholic Community within the Mission of Catholic schools. On Wednesday staff from all Catholic schools in our diocese gathered as school communities for Proclaim Lismore Staff 2021 to investigate ‘the signs of the times”, as the Church puts it, in discerning how to lead and represent Catholic Education as a Ministry. This year the theme was Catholic Education - Faith in the Future. The day was very successful and staff engaged in meaningful dialogue, prayer, music and liturgy. We were lucky enough to have 3 keynote speakers, Fr Frank Brennan, Fr Richard Leonard and Br David Hall who were all very engaging and inspiring to listen to.
Parent Library
New books available to borrow from the Parent Library in the School Office.
Curriculum Corner
NAPLAN Parent Information
NAPLAN WEEK - 11-14 May
Tuesday - Writing, Wednesday- Reading & Conventions of language,
Thursday- Numeracy, Friday- Makeup test day.
Tailored testing provides a more precise assessment of students’ performance in the areas of reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy by adapting to responses.
Students at each year level start with a similar set of questions. Depending on the number of questions they answered correctly, the next set of questions may be more, or less, difficult.
Students should not be concerned if the questions are more difficult than expected.
A student’s NAPLAN result is based on both the number and difficulty of questions the student answers correctly. A student who completes a more difficult set of questions is more likely to achieve a higher score (and a higher band placement).
Watch a video (3:06 length) to learn more about tailored testing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGFseJAM3Ew&authuser=0
Christine Jeffrey
Zahli is reading one of our new readers in Year 1 we are very excited to have some brand new titles.
Early Stage 1
Kindergarten have been busy this week reflecting on how special our mothers are. We have read about mums, written about why we love them and drawn a labeled diagram of our mum’s body. Some favourite descriptions are: Leah said her mum has “long legs to jump on the trampoline with me” and Elliott said his mum has “fingers to pull funny faces at me”. Louis said his mum has “a heart full of love” and Cruz wrote his mum has a “big tummy with a new baby in it”. Happy Mother’s Day - Love from Kindergarten.
Stage 1
Dear Families and Carers
This week on the calendar we have a most important celebration to prepare for, and that is Mother’s Day. As the children reflected and wrote about you this week there was absolute silence and a sense of calm that filled our classroom. As teachers we have the privilege of sharing in your child’s thoughts about each of you. So many wonderful stories were heard.
Your smell is really evocative. Some thoughts shared included
- Chocolate cake and coffee
- Perfume
- Flowers
- Spew (very special for those mothers with babies)
Their thoughts of you were that you
- Shine like the stars
- Are kind
- So, so, so, so, so beautiful
- That you look like a model from the shop
- That you are loving and that they are loved by you absolutely
- Gastronomic goddesses especially when you can measure the right amount of butter or venture out for hot chips
We would like to wish you all a very Happy Mother’s Day. We hope you are spoilt with their loving gestures and good luck with any breakfasts in bed.
Anne-Maree and Rachelle
Stage 2
Stage 2 have spent time this week preparing cards and gifts to share with their mum’s on Mothers Day. It was great to be able to have parents back on site for breakfast this morning and the students were very much looking forward to being able to share this time with their Mums. We hope those who were able to attend this morning enjoyed the opportunity, and that you all have a relaxing time with your families on Sunday. Happy Mother's Day.
Stage 3
