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Dear friends and families,
We have noticed from time to time that some community members cross the road with children in front of the school gate rather than using the designated pedestrian crossings. This puts the safety of everyone in jeopardy and we ask that you please obey the safe road crossing rules. We need to inform the police if people are not using the crossings safely and this kind of unsafe behaviour is reportable. Thank you.
Over the past two week the year 3, 5 and 7 students have participated in the NAPLAN testing which helps determine whether or not young Australians are developing the literacy and numeracy skills that provide the critical foundation for other learning and participation in the community into the future. We are fortunate that we have Leaders of Learning in both literacy and maths at our school who work with staff to embed sound pedagogical practices to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes for all of the students. Our next pupil free day is on Friday 27 June (week 9) and the professional learning for staff is about literacy so that we continue to remain contemporary in our research and practice, which in turn benefits the students.
Lateness and Absences
Attendance at school every day improves a child’s future life outcomes. It supports their learning and wellbeing. Parents must make sure their child attends school every day. This is a parent’s legal responsibility. Attendance at school is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16 years.
If your child is absent from school for any reason, you must notify the teacher/school via phone on the absentee line, Zsapp app or Seesaw, citing the reason they are absent. For absences of more than two days, a medical certificate is required. If absences are due to a family holiday during school time, you will need to complete an exemption form. We are mandated to report all unknown absences to the Department for Child Protection so it is in your best interest to notify in a timely manner. If a child is marked as absent on the roll and we haven’t been informed by you, a notification is sent to your phone. Please respond to this notification as we are all in the business of child safety together.
The same thing for lateness, children who are constantly late for school or collected early from school miss so much over their schooling years, academically and socially. Please be mindful that habitual lateness or early collection is not in your child’s best interest.
Congratulations to Ashlee Leahy and Aaron who recently welcomed their son, Kove, and to Sarah and Shaun Roberts who safely welcomed their son Cooper, to the world. We wish you much joy and love as you begin your parenting journey.
The student leaders of our school have organised Crazy Hair and Casual Clothes Day next Friday 28 May. Get creative and please bring a gold coin donation for Caritas.
COVID – 19 Update (QR Scanning)
As we continue to follow Health and Government guidelines, we remind all parents and caregivers to please scan the QR code located at the gates or outside each room before entering. This is currently a requirement across SA and schools are also to follow this directive. We thank you for your cooperation.
Uniform Supplier Change
Our current long-term school uniform supplier is retiring at the end of this school term and there will be some changes ahead. Our summer and winter school uniform will not be changing. The sports uniform will see some changes, including improved wear and washability of the tops, shorts and trackpants.
We are in the final stages of obtaining a new school uniform supplier and we will announce the details as soon as we have all of the arrangements in place. Families will be provided with all the information and details via our usual communication platforms.
We thank our supplier from Moody Blues, Ruth, for her commitment and dedicated service to our community over the past 10 years and we wish her well.
Please make an appointment to speak with a member of the Leadership Team if you have any questions.
Yours in Faith, Growth and Unity
CMS Leadership Team -
Belinda, Angela, Linda and Courtney
This term has started with a bang in 3P. The term began with preparing ourselves for our first NAPLAN experience in Week 3. Many of us were very excited to begin NAPLAN, but quickly learnt how much we needed to focus and concentrate for each test. NAPLAN is officially over for another two years. There’s one thing we learnt from our experience: we are all smarties.
The past week we have been learning about trees and their importance in our environment. We have read two books about what trees give to us and why we need them on Earth. Along with learning about blending techniques and oil pastels, we created beautiful artwork as a tribute to trees. We will also progress to learning about deforestation and the devastating affects this has on our climate. Our goal is to have this work displayed in our Climate Clever Museum – soon to come.
This term Basic Number Skills and daily math fluency games have become a regular part of our routine – we enjoy practicing our number skills by working and playing with each other. This term we look forward to learning about persuasive writing in Literacy, Multiplication and Time in Numeracy, starting a new spelling program, living things in Science, celebrations and commemorations in HASS, showing mercy in Religion, and Relationships and being mindful in Health.
Catholic Education Week May 3 – 9 2021
Catholic Education Week is a wonderful opportunity to revisit, and cement, a unique educational experience which forms our Catherine McAuley community of Faith, Growth and Unity. We work closely with Fr. Pat, and our local parishes and Catholic organisations, to enhance students’ capacity to make sense of their world, to make judgements and to recognise the uniqueness of others within a faith community. This was particularly prevalent during Catholic Education Week.
This year we chose to say the Rosary throughout the month of May (as outlined in our last newsletter) when we come together for spiritual gatherings. We also completed communal prayer throughout the day. We took the opportunity, during Catholic Education Week, to stop, pause and reflect together as a whole school community remaining in individual classes. We completed Morning Prayer at 9.30am, Lunchtime Prayer at 12.40pm and End of Day Prayer at 2.35pm (over ‘loudspeaker’). Thank you to Izzy and Jess, 6/7 students, for running the prayers throughout the day and thank you to staff for ensuring time was provided for all prayers so gracefully and reverently.
Pastoral Works
At Catherine McAuley School, we believe in creating community through acts of respect and kindness – Mercy in Action. Our Outreach Program is designed to promote, develop and implement Catholic organisation based pastoral care programs. In Semester 1, we have raised, thus far, $321.25 from donations on Harmony Day and $269.00 from Project Compassion = $590.25. All funds support those less fortunate than ourselves through various Catholic organisations - help provided today goes toward a hopeful future for many. Knowing that you are helping others in their time of need is extremely empowering. Please know the positive effect it, and you, have on their lives is a blessing. Thank you for always being generous and kind, it is very much appreciated.
Pentecost Sunday 23 May 2021
This Christian holy day commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit in the form of flames to the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the New Testament in Acts 2:1–31. The Holy Spirit allowed the apostles to speak in other languages, allowed them to preach the word of Jesus to all. Over the week, students will explore the presence of the Spirit of God in all creation, in the community and in individuals. Students will have the opportunity to examine how the fruit of the Spirit are visible signs of following in the footsteps of Jesus. Galatians 5:22-23: God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways. We are all blessed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They assist us for ministry, to serve others and to do so generously. At Catherine McAuley School, we collectively use our gifts to enable the Church to accomplish its mission to continue the work of Jesus and help others.
Linda Caldinez
APRIM
National Walk Safely to School Day was last Friday 14 May. This year is the 22nd year the event has been promoted. It is a community event seeking to promote road safety, health, public transport and the environment. This year we did things on a smaller scale and the Reception to Year 3 students walked in pairs in a loop in the front of our school, crossing safely at the pedestrian crossing at Playford Primary School and our school crossing. Thank you to all the extra helpers from our staff and the middle school students who monitored the crossings and walked with the class groups. In Term 1 the junior primary classes had a visit from the RAA and they were able to show that they have learned how to behave safely while crossing the road. Ideally all children under the age of 10, should hold an adult’s hand when crossing the road.
Catherine McAuley School is proud to be inclusive of students participating in co-curricular sport. Year 4-7 students will have several carnivals in Term 2. This note serves as advance notice to enable any interested members of our community to attend and support our students through a variety of roles.
Term 2 co-curricular sport opportunities include:
- Netball/Soccer (nominated students from Year 4-7) – Thursday 27 May (4 supervisors & 3 umpires)
- Football (nominated students from Year 4-7) – Friday 18 June (3 supervisors & 2 umpires)
- Basketball (selected students from Year 6/7) – Tuesday 29 June (2 supervisors)
- Netball (nominated students from Year 4-7) - Thursday 1 July (2-3 Supervisors & 4 umpires)
The Netball/Soccer, Football and Catholic Schools Netball Carnivals are open to all students from Year 4-7. Students have already nominated for the Term 2 carnivals. Further information about these carnivals will be distributed throughout the term.
No expertise in a particular sport is required unless you elect to umpire at the netball carnival. Other roles include supervising a team (i.e. ensuring they get to their games on time, ensuring players have equal playing time, etc.), and general supervision to support appropriate ratios of students to parents.
All volunteers are required to have:
- a current Working with Children Check and Catholic Screening Clearance
- completed the online Responding to Abuse and Neglect-Education and Care (RAN-EC) online course
- completed the school’s Volunteer Application Package
- completed a Site Induction
(please see the front office to get this process underway if you are not already a Registered Volunteer at our school).
Please complete the form below if you can assist. Alternatively, you can contact me via email: fchevalier@cms.catholic.edu.au or leave a message at the office for me to contact you. Your support and assistance at our carnivals would be greatly appreciated.
2021 Term 2 Sports Volunteer EOI FORM
Yours in Faith, Growth and Unity,
Fabian Chevalier
Sports Coordinator
Move it Mob Style! On Wednesday of Week 3 we held our first Kanga Club for the term and wow what a turn out we had. Many students across all year levels attended. We talked about Aboriginal people as the first Australians and how during Kanga Club we would learn from and take part in different activities from Aboriginal Culture. For our first week it was dance! We danced along to some ‘Move it Mob Style’ videos, before we had our own free dance time to songs by Baker Boy and Electric Fields. It was a great first week for Kanga Club, and we can’t wait to do it all again in Week 5!
Elizabeth Community Connections
Our Catherine McAuley School ELY group run by Elizabeth Community Connections had a very exciting and 'spacey' morning today! We took part in the National Simultaneous Storytime 2021. This years book, 'Give Me Some Space', was read to the children by astronaut Dr Shannon Walker direct from the International Space Station!
Little Learners Playgroup
Structured playgroups offer an chance for babies, toddles and pre-school aged children to explore, play and share. Come along and have some fun, learn through play and make new friendships. All welcome - mum, dad, carer, grandparents.
- Thursdays during school terms 9.15am to 11.15am
- Gold coint donation
- Bring a piece of fruit, named drink bottle and named hat
- For children 0- 5 years
- Registration required
Bop
- Mondays during school terms 9.15am to 10am
- $5 per session
- Registration required.
Early Learning Years - ELY
- Wednesdays during school terms 9.15am to 11.15am
- Gold coin donation
- Bring piece of fruit or healthy snack, hat and water bottle
- For children aged 3 - 5 (siblings welcome)
- Registration required
National Simultaneous Storytime
Philip Bunting, author of “Give Me Some Space!” hosted the official live National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) event at Australian Space Discovery Centre in Adelaide. His book was created especially for National Simultaneous Storytime - where on 19 of May it was read from space!
Many of our classes participated in this astronomical event and created activities around the story.
There were also 1,959,574 registered readers around the world who also participated in this amazing event.
Parenting and Fam ily Support Program’s
My Child and Me
Connecting, Understanding, Guiding…. Everyday parenting
My Child and Me is a FREE workshop that helps you as parents and carers build an understanding of your child and their healthy development.
Our workshops are full of helpful information with a choice of simple, practical strategies that each family can adapt for their own parenting situations.
Topics to support your parenting include:
• Brain & child development
• Understanding behaviour
• Parenting styles
• Positive approaches to guiding children’s behaviour
ur workshops are based on the latest parenting research and use information from Parenting SA.
Light refreshments and crèche provided. (Bookings essential).
Where | 210 Adams Road Craigmore |
When | Monday 21 June & Monday 28 June |
Time | 11am - 2pm |
Contact | Jo Williamson Phone: 0427 996 352 or Email: eccp.jo@gmail.com |
Everyone is welcome, however bookings are essential
* Please arrive 10 minutes early to register *
Delivered by the Department of Human Services Parenting and Family Support Team