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To all our Mothers and Grandmothers we hope you had a lovely day with your families yesterday.
Many thanks to our Parents and Friends Committee in particular Abbey Walters and the OLSH students who organised and sold the gifts for the mother’s day stall. It was lovely to see the students excited about purchasing a gift to give to their mum.
Thank you to Highett Florist for supplying the school with flowers that were given to our mums last Thursday.
Naplan
Year 3 and year 5 students will participate in Naplan assessments this week.
Tuesday 11 May-Language Conventions and Writing
Wednesday 12 May- Reading
Thursday 13 May- Mathematics
Students have participated in a number of practice assessments in class and are well prepared to undertake assessments. Parents and schools will receive the results of assessments early in term 3.
Helping students get ready for the NAPLAN tests
By Michael Grose
As a parent it helps your child, if you take a positive view of the NAPLAN tests. It’s better to see them as learning opportunities for children as well as opportunities to overcome any anxieties or nerves that these tests may bring on. It’s also worth remembering that many children don’t stress over these tests. The vast majority take them in their stride, wondering what all the fuss is about.
Whether your child stresses or takes them in his stride here are some tips to help prepare for the NAPLAN tests:
1 Take your cues from your child:
If your child doesn’t worry about them then neither should you. Be careful not to create a problem that doesn’t exist by incessantly talking about, or worse, worrying about the test.
2 Focus on doing their best and trying hard:
Choose your words carefully when you speak with your kids. As with all their learning activities place your focus squarely on effort rather than results. The only pressure on kids should be to try hard rather than to do well.
3 Listen to any concerns they have: If your child confesses to some nerves then validate their feelings, rather than shut them down with a ‘get over it’ response. “Yes, sometimes tests can be a little scary, but they get easier every time you take them.” Use this as an opportunity to develop some emotional smarts, which starts with recognising how kids feel.
4 Give them some relaxation ideas: Anxious or nervous kids will benefit from some simple relaxation strategies. Taking some deep breaths, changing their thinking and exercising the morning of the test are some simple ways to help kids get some feeling of control.
5 Help them retain their perspective: One way to help children who become excessively anxious about an event is to ask what’s the worst thing that could happen? Okay, they may not do as well as they would like but the sun will still rise tomorrow, regardless of how well they do. Keeping perspective is a life skill that we all need to practise.
A positive, caring parent attitude is one of the best gifts you can give a child when they are apprehensive or nervous about approaching any different situation whether it’s going on school camp, joining a new club or sitting a NAPLAN test.
Michael Grose
Director Parentingideas 2014
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)
The parents of students at our school who qualify for additional funding support, meet each term with classroom teachers and our Student Diversity Teacher Carmel to plan for and monitor learning supports for their child. The school each year must take a number of steps to apply for this funding. Parents of students who meet the criteria and are eligible for funding support in 2022 will be notified at the next Program Support Group (PSG) meeting at the end of term 2.
Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about support provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).
Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:
- year of schooling
- category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
- level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.
This information assists schools to:
- formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
- consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
- develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.
The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disabilities..
The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).
Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).
If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the school.
Confirmation Candidates
On Wednesday 12 May our year 6 confirmation candidates and parents will join us at school for the Confirmation Family Workshop at 7:00pm in our library.
HOLT Cross Country
This year we have 17 students participationg in the HOLT Cross Country on Friday, 14th May. We wish them all the best and pray for good weather.
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION -
‘A Change of Heart”
Sunday, 16th May
St Catherine’s School & Church
The following students will celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation on the 16th of May. Our thoughts and prayers will be with the students and their families this Sunday.
Reconciliation- Sunday 16th May- Group 2
Dates for your diaries...
Confirmation- Year 6 Students Term 2
10 Year 6 students will be making their Confirmation at 7pm On Thursday , 3rd June.
Planning is well underway.
Wednesday 12th May, 7pm - Family Workshop in Learning Hub
Sunday 23rd May, 10.30am - Confirmation Candidates presented to Parish
Tuesday 25th May, 1.30pm - Students & Staff meet with Father Brendan Hayes @St Peter’s
Thursday 27th May - Confirmation Reflection Day- Reflection Day in the City
Thursday 3rd June, 7pm - Confirmation celebration @St Catherine’s Church
Eucharist- Year 4 & 5 students- Term 2, 3 & 4
Wednesday 2nd June- Eucharist Reflection Day- Term 2
Wednesday 21st July,7pm - Family Workshop- Term 3
Sunday 8th August, 10.30am - Presentation Mass to Parish- Term 3
Sunday 15th August,10.30am - Presentation Mass to Parish- Term 3
Sunday 15th August, 10.30am - Eucharist Group 1- Term 3
Sunday 19th September, 10.30am - Eucharist Group 2- Term 3
Sunday 17th October, 10.30am - Eucharist Group 3
Year 1& 2 Family Faith Night- Creation
6pm Wednesday 5th May
Thank you to the Year 1 & 2 students and families that participated in the Family Workshop last week. Thank You to Maree, Talya and Lynda for facilitating the evening.
Last Wednesday night all the year one and two students came to our family faith night with their parents.
First we did a lovely gratitude meditation about the Gratitude Tree. After the meditation we wrote on some heart shaped paper things that we were thankful for with our parents. Then we placed the hearts on to the gratitude tree that is now in the Junior school hallway.
The year one and two students then listened to a lovely story called “Dear Earth” by Isabel Otter. The story was about a little girl who listened to stories about the earth that her grandfather who was an explorer told. She decided to write a letter to share with everyone about how special the earth is to us all.
At the end of the night we decorated pots and planted pansies. We had a great night.
Year 1MH
Foundation Students in Pyjamas- My Prayer Space
Family Faith Night-
6pm Wednesday 19th May
It has been a tradition at St Catherine’s for many years to hold a ‘Foundation Students in Pyjamas’ Prayer Family Faith Night. On this evening, the children come to school dressed in their pyjamas and together with their parents they complete activities that will support family prayer time at home.
This evening will take place on Wednesday, 19th May at 6.00pm in the Learning Hub. It is an expectation that all Foundation students and a parent attend. As you will be working with your child on a rotational basis, siblings cannot be included. The evening will go for approximately an hour. We ask that children attend dressed in their warmest, favourite pyjamas. We also ask that families bring along a religious gift or memento from home (bible, crucifix, cross, rosary beads, prayer book, mass book, holy picture, statue, baptism candle, medal etc). We will have spare items/symbols for families if required.
We look forward to seeing you on this evening.
Kinder/Childcare Community Outreach Program
During Term 1 & 2 we have been visiting Local Kindergartens and Childcare Centres. The Year 5 and 6 students are part of this program. The students volunteer an hour a few times a term to work with the students. The students read to the kindergarten students, help with activities and generally assist during indoor and outdoor play. This program is mutually beneficial for the Kinder/Childcare Centres and St Catherine's School. We have generally visited the centres but have invited them to come and have a session in our Learning Hub and Foundation Classroom during Term 2 & 3. The playground is a big highlight for the children when they visit.
We have visited the following Centres with students during Terms 1 & 2:
- Guardian Childcare & Education-Bentleigh
- Guardian Childcare & Education- Moorabbin
- Rainbow Development Learning Centre- Moorabbin
- Bruthen Street- Moorabbin
- Farm Road- Cheltenham
- North Cheltenham Preschool- Cheltenham
Carmel Donlon
Religious Education Leader
carmel.donlon@scmoorabbin.catholic.edu.au
The Foundation students had a very exciting start to the term with our whole school excursion to Healesville Sanctuary. They enjoyed learning about and observing many Australian animals as they made their way around the sanctuary.
The students have begun learning to identify and describe the external features of different animals and have been busy developing their skills to write simple descriptive sentences and create labelled diagrams.
Connecting with the Inquiry unit, the students have been busy using their senses to identify living and non living things in the environment around them, whilst identifying the needs of living things.
Within Religious Education the students have begun learning about Creation. Students worked together to illustrate all of the wonderful things God has created in the natural world.
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Kath Barca
Library Technician and ESS
St Catherines Lego Competition
In line with our Inquiry concept this term, you (with the help of your family if you’d like) are to create an original living creature and/or habitat for your creature. This creature can be alive, extinct or even make believe.
Now, there is no need to bring it to school. We know how delicate Lego is. When you have finished your masterpiece, take a couple of photos and email these to Mrs Moore at megan.moore@scmoorabbin.catholic.edu.au Don’t forget to include a little blurb about your creation.
Submissions close on Wednesday 26th May.
We will announce our top three Lego creations (and their Lego Masters) in early June. We look forward to seeing your creationcome to life!
Sharing the Love at Playgroup for Mother’s Day
Our art club is underway with Mother’s Day cards having been made with lots of care, as one of our first projects. Hope you enjoyed Mums!
Could we please ask all Oshclub families to provide an art smock for their child/children as sharing is not a good idea in Covid normal times. A named, old, long sleeved shirt would be great for our messy play/art.
Lots of other activities have been happening here too. We now share a space with the playgroup who have very generously offered to share their equipment with us . The children have used a lot of it and had lots of fun. A big thankyou is in order here.
As numbers are growing here, please be sure to book in early so we can arrange for extra staff if needed.
One last request it would be wonderful if you could add OSHClub on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OSHClubChildCare Thanks!
That’s all for now keep warm and enjoy the next couple of weeks of Autumn.
Sue Co-ordinator.