Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you are all well. 

As a school community, we recognise Mary on September 8, and this year you will notice it in the Prayer slides for all students. This is the date that is regarded in Church history as her birthday. In other years some students would be attending mass and all students would celebrate this day through prayer. "Our Lady Star of the Sea” is another name to describe Mary and is an ancient title for Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. The words Star of the Sea are a translation of the Latin title Stella Maris. The title was used to emphasise Mary's role as a sign of hope and as a guiding star for Christians. Our Vision Statement places Jesus as our guide and refers to Mary as the one who inspires us. Our school motto “Setting the Right Course” also derives from this title. What is it about the story of Mary that we can be inspired by? Is it her acceptance of what God asked of her when the angel Gabriel asked her to be the mother of God? Is it the way she supported and celebrated with her cousin Elizabeth? Is it her care of her son Jesus? Is it the way she prayed at the foot of the cross, at the crucifixion of Jesus? Is it her life which is an expression of hope? 

Praying the Rosary on the birthday of Mary can draw us closer to her and her Son and make them both very happy.  Mother Teresa said that praying the Rosary was just like holding Mary’s hand – and what better way to show Mary we love her than by praying the Rosary and holding her hand on her birthday.

May we, during these challenging times of a global pandemic, take time to pray to Mary, who is a sign of hope to us all.  

NAPLAN RESULTS 2021: The 2021 results of NAPLAN for Year 3 and Year 5 have come in. It was pleasing to note from our initial brief analysis that generally our students did make good progress, despite the challenges of last year. This is a credit to our entire learning community, working in partnersip with each other to support the students learning particularly during these uncertain times. I also wish to acknowledge the efforts of teaching staff and their brilliant planning for remote learning and support when students returned to onsite learning.

Staff will take time to further analyse our strengths and opportunities to herlp inform further directions for learning and teaching. Parents can now access these results by please clicking the link here: http://pam.staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au . This will take you to the Parent Access Module (PAM) login page. Your username is the email address you have provided to school. Once logged in, to access your child’s NAPLAN results, click on the ‘NAPLAN’ tab on the left hand side and this will present your child's 2021 NAPLAN results summary page.  For new families please sign up now by clicking the link here: http://pam.staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au  This will take you to the PAM login page. Click on the 'Forgot Password?' link and follow the prompts. You are also welcome to pick up the hard copy from next term as this is signed for upon collection.

R U OK? Day is celebrated on Thursday 9 September. The message this year is 'Are they really OK? Ask them today.'  Life's ups and downs happen to all of us. So chances are someone you know might be struggling. Your genuine support can make a difference whatever they are facing, big or small.  So, don’t wait until someone’s visibly distressed or in crisis. Make a moment meaningful and ask them how they’re really going. 

On Friday, your children will be participating in some wonderful activities to mark this important day for everyone’s mental health and wellbeing.

First Aid: All staff have been able to complete their CPR and Level 2 training over the last fortnight. We thank staff for their extra commitment to ensure the care, safety and wellbeing of all our children is a priority.

COVID reflection: In these times when we might be struggling at different times, this reflection helps to give another perspective and also give yourself a pat on the back for all you are doing for your children, supporting them to learn in different ways and valuing your time together.

Wishing you a lovely, Spring fortnight ahead and may it bring good news with some easing of restrictions in our area.

Stay well.

Kerryn

It is helpful for children to practise at remembering numbers and other information. Examples of the type of information which we commonly try to remember are:

• Telephone numbers: When children are young you might ask them to repeat back to you 2 or 3 numbers in a row; as they get older they should be able to repeat back to you longer string, and even to remember some numbers such as their own phone number and those of their grandparents
• Addresses: help the children to learn their own address and others such as their grandparents
• Car registration numbers
• Birthdays: children can learn the birth dates in your family, and those of close relatives
• Times of special events.

R U OK

R U OK? seeks to create a world where we’re all connected. We’re never too young to look out for one another and meaningfully connect. An important part of the R U OK? Message is to emphasise the value of close connections and strong relationships. Being able to meaningfully support someone and strengthening peer-to-peer support skills should begin in the early years of a child’s life through teaching them to look after themselves and their peers.

Children cannot be expected to fix someone’s problems, nor know the best way to help and support. However they can be encouraged to listen to what their friend is saying, let them know they care and tell a teacher, school counsellor or trusted adult if they are worried about their friend. By promoting an environment of positive peer support and accessing support channels via an adult, children can learn that asking, ‘Are you OK?’ is a key life skill.

R U OK? Day is this Thursday, September 9th.  

The R U OK? message of the value of close, meaningful relationships is celebrated through our Wellbeing Screen Free Activities planned for this Friday. We hope families enjoy working together on the planned Wellbeing activities.   

If you feel like something’s not quite the same with someone you know – there’s something going on in their life or you notice a change in what they’re saying or doing - trust that gut instinct and take the time to ask them “Are you OK?” If someone says they’re not OK, make time to listen, encourage action and check in. That conversation could change, or even save, their life.

Please ensure that your child is wearing the correct school uniform items, specifically the correct shoes and socks.

Over the next fortnight, depending on the weather, the children are able to wear either their winter or summer uniform however they must wear their school hat.

The Summer Uniform requirements are:

Summer Uniform

• Grey school shorts, short or long sleeved dark green polo with white embroidered school logo and white edge on collar, grey ankle length socks.

OR

• Green and white checked dress with Peter Pan collar, white socks.

OR

• Green school shorts, green long or short sleeve polo with embroidered school logo, white ankle length socks.
• Green windcheater or cardigan with embroidered school logo and white piping.
• School hat with school logo.
• Black traditional school shoes or boots. Black skate or sport shoes are not acceptable with the summer uniform.
• Green or white hair trims.

Staff Return: Friday 28 January

Term 1 Students return: Tuesday 1 February - Friday 8 April

Easter - Friday 15 April - Monday 18 April 

Term 2  Tuesday 26 April - Friday 24 June 

Term 3  Monday 11 July - Friday 16 September 

Term 4  Monday 3 October - TBA December