18 August 2021
Newsletter Articles
Newsletter: Term 3, Week 6 2021
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Dear Parents, caregivers and friends,
The fear and trauma facing Afghan civilians and all who are victims of civil war is both shocking and heartbreaking. Vision of desperate people trying to flee Taliban’s new rule reveals that our prayers for peace are needed now more than ever. We ask for blessings upon them.
This public health poster was part of a government campaign in New South Wales to limit the spread of the deadly Spanish flu pandemic of 1918–19, drawn by children’s illustrator and author May Gibbs in 1919. The detail features a gumnut baby and a kookaburra sitting on a branch, with eucalyptus leaves wrapped around their mouths in the manner of surgical masks. Apart from the leaf, the gumnut baby wears only a gumnut on her head. The illustration is captioned ‘Hullo! How are you?’
This image is so relevant today and amazingly was produced in 1919! This picture gives us all hope, that despite the uncertainty surrounding us, it won’t last forever.
CALENDAR EVENTS
All events for Term 3 are on hold. Please await further directions.
CURRICULUM NEWS
COVID 19- LEARNING FROM HOME UPDATE
Congratulations one and all for the fantastic job you are doing under difficult circumstances. I acknowledge that many of you are also working from home whilst managing the pressures of remote learning. We encourage you to support as much of the schoolwork that is manageable but also encourage you to make decisions to best suit your family and the wellbeing of all. I know that when we are back together the children will have learnt many new things and will be able to share their experiences with us.
Thank you for taking the necessary steps to protect your family and our St Patrick’s staff team by complying with the strict Public Health Orders, currently extended to 12.01am on Sunday, 22 August. As we all deal with this ‘national emergency’, the current school situation is vastly different to that experienced in 2020. As the virus is more widely circulating, the likelihood of this virus mutating increases. Clearly the more opportunities the Delta variant has to spread, the more it replicates, and changes.
This is why we have re-introduced remote learning, are extending supervision only for children of frontline workers or those with vulnerability who have no other option available, and more importantly, have radically reduced the number of staff members coming on site through the week. These measures to restrict contact with each other have meant that teachers are now working from home for most of the week. Obviously, this structure will also impact their ability to respond to requests in the same timeframe as last year. We are working to manage this as best as we can and continue to thank you for your patience and understanding. You are encouraged to contact your child’s class teacher via email if you have any queries or concerns.
I sincerely recognise and acknowledge the hardwork and dedication of our staff and teaching teams. The decision to move to remote learning was announced quickly and required a prompt response. Our staff teams moved quickly to enact our remote learning plans, all while they moved themselves into lockdown. I know they have appreciated the lovely messages and emails of support and gratitude.
During this challenging time, children may be overwhelmed by what they see or hear on the news, radio, social media etc. about COVID-19 and its impact on our health. It is important that we are honest with our children, but also give them age-appropriate information. Please supervise your child, regardless of their age, to ensure they access correct information, from reputable websites. Open the lines of communication with your child, so that they ask you questions that worry them, instead of them getting inaccurate information from peers or online.
Please be assured that our staff will continue to provide a seamless continuation of remote learning for as long as is required. We have introduced a new online webpage which will be a one-stop spot for all learning resources K-6. Parents will need to access the link provided to unlock class timetables, printable materials and resources. This site will be regularly updated with resources to support you and your child as you navigate the learning from home agenda. Important messages will continue to be sent via COMPASS.
https://splhomelearning.weebly.com/
Please remember if you are having any practical computer issues, you are asked to contact the executive via the email admin address. Mr Nolan is keen to help.
TTFM-TELL THEM FROM ME ANNUAL SURVEY
Last year parents, staff and children from Years 4 to 6 were asked to fill in the survey Tell Them from Me. The results of the survey are used to address the yearly Strategic Plan.
Below is a summary of the key learnings from 2020, including areas to celebrate and elements that our school acknowledged and addressed in relation to the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) survey. We are grateful for your assistance and insights.
Later this term you will receive a new survey link. I ask that you take the time to fill it in so that the school is able to address the matters that you and your children raise. Findings will be viewed in conjunction with the results of the External Review Survey data which will be shared in coming weeks.
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TTFM 2020 Findings ST PATRICK'S LOCHINVAR |
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W W L |
Celebrations |
Areas requiring consideration |
Actions |
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STUDENTS |
Students report positive teacher-student relationships High teacher expectations for success were recognised Students have friends at school they can trust and who encourage them to make positive choices Most students would encourage others to attend their school |
Homework behaviours require attention in terms of quality and completion rates |
Review Homework Policy and encourage greater participation in meaningful activities undertaken at home |
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In the student data, there is inconsistency in student responses (Year 4 to Year 6) specifically in the areas of effective learning, relevance of content and a drive for improvement. Some students were confident of their skills but did not find classes challenging.
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The Leading Learning Collaborative (linked to School Improvement) will focus on data and the use of descriptive feedback as well as Bump It Up Walls to address relevance and rigour |
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Some students report feeling unsafe when travelling on the bus or that student behaviour is unacceptable |
Revisit Bus Expectations and Behaviours through MJR and PBS frameworks |
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PARENTS |
Distinctive Catholic identity recognised Expressed trust in the teaching staff and school leadership Parents report feeling a sense of welcome and inclusivity and acknowledge a safe, supportive environment Parents have high expectations of learning and behaviour for their children which is mirrored by the school Parents feel children have a clear understanding about the rules for school conduct and issues related to student behaviour are well managed using the PBS framework The school is well maintained and resourced There is strong leadership at the school and complaints, or concerns are well managed |
Recognised need for greater communication of student learning - content knowledge and skills, individual learning goals and progress Parents are seeking more opportunities to be involved |
Use newsletter and P&F forum to communicate findings of the 2020/2021 survey and strategies to address significant areas Implement LLC to focus on outcomes, e.g. individual achievement and student progress Explore ways to improve stakeholder engagement |
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SCHOOL REVIEW
As part of the External Review process, feedback will be sort from parents, students and staff during two official review days scheduled for Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th of October during which an External Review panel will visit our school.
If you would like to be a part of a ‘Parent Focus Group’ please let me know via the school office so I can share additional information with you regarding the process involved and dates and times.
ORGANISATION & MANAGEMENT
STAYING SAFE ONLINE
With the move to online learning and increased time at home, I urge parents to remain vigilant and aware of their children’s potential exposure to unsafe behaviours, sites, apps or games.
Helping you understand the latest games, apps and social media
To assist you to decide if an app or game is age appropriate and suitable for your child, visit the eSafety Commissioner website to learn about the latest games, apps and social media. The eSafety Commisioner website has a section specifically geared to providing advice and practical tips for parents and carers.
Julie Inman Grant, eSafety Commissioner, provides some handy hints to help keep your children safe online.
https://vimeo.com/414619843
If you would like further information click here for a link to an online safety book developed by the eSafety commisioner. The book is available in five languages.
Parental tips for assessing social media sites
Social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. have changed the way we communicate. Despite the fact that these sites have an age limit of 13 we find that many of our students access these sites. We recommend that you do not allow your children to join these sites. However, if you make the decision to allow your child to access these sites, please keep the following information in mind.
Some tips for parents include:
- talk to your child about staying safe as soon as they start becoming active in the online world
- monitor children’s activity and time online, particularly younger children
- set house rules – what’s okay to do and what’s not, how much time is ‘online’ time and what kind of personal information is okay to make public
- ensure their online behaviour reflects the same standards of honesty, respect and consideration that a person uses when communicating face-to-face
- respect the rights, privacy and confidentiality of others
- ensure all content published is accurate and not misleading
- consider using filters or other technological tools to help limit exposure to potentially harmful or distressing material.
- find out what children are up to; create your own accounts, follow your children and play with the services they are using so that you become familiar with the privacy settings and reporting mechanisms
- model the kind of positive online behaviour you would like them to use.
- check the age restrictions; most social media sites are for 13 years plus
It is important to note that even with the strictest privacy settings what a person ‘says’ online may still end up being shared into a more public domain, even with privacy settings on maximum. As such a person is always responsible for what they post regardless of circumstances or intention.
https://www.esafety.gov.au/education-resources/iparent/staying-safe/social-networking/social-media-readiness
ABORIGINAL EDUCATIONAL NEWS
STEWARDS OF CREATION BIRD REPORT
SPORT NEWS
POLDING ATHLETICS HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO TERM 4
All parents who had registered on the CSNSW website have been contacted by email. Some students who qualified for Polding have not been registered. Parents are asked not to register at the moment, as the future event may still be impacted.
COMMUNITY NEWS
The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle has an abiding commitment to promote the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility if you have any concerns for a child or vulnerable adult, please contact the Office of Safeguarding:
- P 4979 1390 or
- E childprotection@mn.catholic.org.au or
- visit their website for further information www.officeofsafeguarding.org.au
In the spirit of reconciliation, St Patrick’s Lochinvar acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community.
We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
Unless otherwise stated, the advertisements placed in this newsletter are placed by independent third parties who have no legal relationship with the Diocese. The activities or services of the advertisers are not supervised or controlled in any way by the Diocese. The Diocese is not in a position to endorse the advertisers or the services provided and makes no representation about those matters. Accordingly, the Diocese cannot accept any responsibility for the advertisers or the activities or services that are the subject of these advertisements.