Term 1 Week 8 2023

Principal's Message

Dear families and friends,

‘We do whatever it takes to lead the way in Love, Learning, Faith, School Spirit, Sport & Community’

Open and Celebration of Learning Night

Wednesday 5th April 5:30pm - 7:00pm

You are all welcome to our social event where you can check out the great learning our kids have completed this first term of 2023. 

For Current families: From 5:30pm - 7:00pm walk through your child’s learning spaces to witness the great learning taking place at our school and an opportunity to socialise and talk with teachers.  Complementary coffee and sausage sizzle will be available alongside live music

 For Interested Kindergarten families and other new grades in 2024: From 5:00pm – 5:30pm I will hold a brief information session in the Kindergarten rooms about our school.  From 5:30pm-7:00pm interested new families are encouraged to look at the learning that is taking place here at SMP and socialise over some food and drink.  Please share this with new interested families.

 100 Year Celebration of The Convent

Parents are invited to join our school as we celebrate 100 years of The Convent building from 9:15am -11:00am on Friday 5 May.

Take care
John O’Brien

Assistant Principal's News - Mission

Parent Surveys/Feedback Opportunity - "Tell Them From Me"
In early May we will be inviting students, teachers and parents to provide feedback on their experience of our school using an online survey. The surveys are an important part of our whole school evaluation and planning process.

In early May you will be invited to complete the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Partners in Learning survey. As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community we would greatly appreciate your feedback.  The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and wellbeing at SMP.

Energy/'Fizzy' Drinks
Please be aware that students are not able to bring in any type of energy or 'fizzy' drink into school. It has also been brought to our attention that some students are purchasing these on their way to school and consuming before they arrive.  'Prime' Energy Drinks seem to be popular among young kids at the moment through the promotion on social media.  Please do your own research regarding the impact of energy drinks on children.  We strongly encourage students to only bring a water bottle to school - save the fizzy drinks for home.

Student of the Month Assembly
Our final SOM Assembly for Term 1 will be on Wednesday 5 April at 2:10pm in the Relihan Centre. We will announce our new Year 6 SRC and our $500 Sporting Scholarship recipients at this assembly.  All parents and family members are welcome to come along.  

Student Attendance
Please be aware that we are mandated under NSW Education Act 1990 to inform parents when their child's attendance is starting to show a pattern of concern. You will receive an email through Compass if this is the case.  It is important that if your child is away that you inform the school office as soon as possible so we can keep our records up to date. 

Our House Volunteer Cooking
Last Thursday we had five students and a number of staff volunteer their time to cook a meal for the residents of the Our House facility.  Our House is a purpose built accommodation for patients (and their family members) who are undergoing treatment at Lismore Base Hospital. We are very proud to help support this organisation a few times each year. 

Three Sixteen Youth Group
Today is the final after school Three Sixteen Youth Group for Term 1.  We will communicate the dates for Term 2 once they have been finalised.

Assistant Principal's News Teaching & Learning

NAPLAN
Congratulations to our Year 3 and Year 5 students who have completed NAPLAN over the last two weeks. Our students have shown focus, determination and resilience in completing these assessments and we are very proud of every single one of them.

NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills of your child, in an online environment. This structure differs quite drastically from the usual collaborative, flexible environment our students are used to being engaged in at SMP so we are very impressed with how all of our students approached these assessments, and took this in their stride.

It is important to remember that there are many facets of your child’s education that NAPLAN can not measure. It can not track creativity, engagement, determination, empathy, or willingness to try new things and we continue to value these traits just as highly at SMP. We know that these are just as valuable as academic success in ensuring our students achieve the fullness of life. 

NAPLAN results will be available next term and parents will receive these in a printed format, sent home from the school.

Writing Competition
All of our students are invited to enter the Dymocks “Beyond Words” short story writing competition. Students are invited to write a story between 500 and 1500 words about any chosen theme.  It may be written in any genre. 

There are multiple prize pools for many different students with prizes of up to $5000 for the best stories written.

Students enter online and I’d love it if students would share their compositions with me as well. Once the competition is closed, I would love to share some of these with our school community.
https://beyondwords.dymockstutoring.edu.au/

Premier's Reading Challenge
All students in Yrs 3-6 should have received their login information for the Premier's Reading Challenge for 2023. If your child would like to take part in this I encourage them to log on and become familiar with the process of recording their books. If they are having difficulties logging these at home, please have them touch base with me and I can ensure they are supported to do this at school.

All students in K-2 will have their classroom books logged automatically. If they are yet to receive their login information, please let me know. felicity.wilde@lism.catholic.edu.au

Felicity Wilde
AP Teaching & Learning

K-2 Instructional Leader

New K-2 Syllabus
Since 2020 the NSW Curriculum Reform has been shaping a new K-2 Syllabus. This year, K-2 teachers will be implementing the new English and Mathematics Syllabus. The new curriculum will give students more time to focus on key learning areas so they can acquire a deeper understanding of central concepts. It will ensure students develop strong foundations for learning, life and work in a complex and fast-changing world. 

The new syllabuses emphasise key concepts, identify essential knowledge and skills and include new outcomes to clearly show what is essential. The language is clear and concise in the outcomes and content help teachers understand the learning expections for building foundational skills in English and Mathematics. The new curriculum also provides more inclusivity for students with additional needs. 

Laura Lynch
K-2 Instructional Leader

Leader of Faith

Mini Vinnies- St Patrick's Day Cake Stall
Thank you to all the wonderful cooks in Year 6 who supplied cupcakes, slices, cakes, ice cups, cookies and jellies for our stall last Friday. We raised a staggering $1183.60 which will be sent to Caritas who support the poor around the world.

First Reconciliation
Next Wednesday 29 March, a number of Year 4 students will make this sacrament in St Mary’s Church at 6.00pm. Please keep them in your prayers.

Easter Presentation
A number of Year 6 students will present the story of Holy Week to our school community on Tuesday 4th April in the church.

Times: 
9.30am  Year 2 and 3   
10.10am  Kindy, Years 4 and 6
12 noon Years 1 and 5

Everyone is welcome to join us and reflect on these special days in the life of Jesus as we prepare for the great celebration of Easter.

Karen McDonald
Leader of Faith

Mini Vinnies Cake Stall

Sport News

Zone Winter Sports Tryouts
We had a number of students who went to the Winter Sports tryouts in Grafton on Friday 10th March for rugby union and rugby league. Congratulations to Thomas McCormack and Azariah Williams (rugby union) and Teo Stavenow and Jonah Vakararawa (rugby league) for making it further to the Diocesan tryouts. 

Wonderful work boys, doing whatever it takes leading the way in sport! 

Winter Sports Tryouts

Next Friday (31st March) is our school's Cross Country.
Kindergarten and Year 1 will depart school at 10:30 am as their races are later in the day. 
Please see the course below of where the students will be running.

Jack Fiedler
Sports Co-ordinator

Leader of Love and Community

Hi All,
Last week saw us have out first Scooter Friday for 2023. It was a hot and sunny day and lots of fun was had scooting around safely! Stay tuned for another one in Term 2!

Every Thursday Mrs Bratti and I run a lunchtime Bingo game. We welcome students from all grades to come in and try and win some yummy prizes!  We even have a special visitor, Vinnie, who sometimes brings good luck! 

If your child is looking for something different to do during lunch, a suggestion would be to come and try out Bingo on a Thursday in 5HD.

Kristie Irvine
Leader of Love and Community

Birthdays

Happy birthday to Elke Barton Jordan Mitchell Jude Winkler River Anderson Dustin Talbot Eli Jude Williams Alyvia Bennett Lyla Gillett Jaxon Wills Liam Cross Lincoln Mills Alexis Beadman Chase Roberts Skylah Wells Tyler Hyde Kailey Cole Allora Gould and Charlie O'Brien who have recently celebrated their birthday, to Lewis Johnston and Callum Gava who celebrate today and to Katelyn Rowlands who celebrates tomorrow.

School Photos

Individual and class photos will be taken this Monday 27 March.

Sibling photos will be taken the following Monday 3 April.

School uniform to be worn

Girls to wear check uniform, navy socks, black shoes
Boys to wear navy long-leg shorts, polo shirt, navy socks, black shoes

Hair is to be neat and presentable
Hair longer than shoulder length is to be tied back
Radical hair styles and hair colouring not permitted 
Simple navy, white or black hair accessories are to be worn

Plain silver or gold sleepers or studscan be worn
A silver or gold chain with a small crucifix or religious medallion may be worn around the neck
Plain signet ring can be worn
Plain silver or gold solid bangle on one wrist

No Sports Uniform to be worn on Monday even though Year 4 have their Sport's Day