Week 9 Term 3 2022

Dear Families,

Public Holiday, Thursday 22 September

As you would be aware, tomorrow, Thursday 22 September is a one-off public national holiday to commemorate the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. School resumes for students on Friday 23 September.

Reflections on Term Three

It seems as if the third term has come and gone so rapidly. However, as we approach the end of Term Three, I reflect back on what has occurred:

• Whole School Mass for St Mary MacKillop and 60th Anniversary of St Joseph’s Payneham
• Year 1s '100 Days of learning'
• ‘Learning, Living, Leading’ (LLL) Surveys for parents, staff and students
• Bike Education (Year 4 and 5 students)
• STEM MAD (Make A Difference) Showcase (where our Year 6 team came first in the primary category for SA)
• P&F Movie Night
• RAA Street Smart sessions (Preschool children)
• Book Week (including fabulous Parades and the Book Fair)
• Canteen Special Food Days
• Student Pulse Wellbeing Check-In
• ICAS (International and Competitions Assessments for Schools) Tests
• Father’s Day Stall
• Stage 1 building project commenced
• Student Disco
• School Assemblies
• Cross Country and Touch Football Carnivals (upper primary students)
• Religious Education Literacy Assessment Tool (ReLAT) Test for Year 4s (this week)
• Year 6 Camp (this week)
• Festival Choir (next week)

This list does not include the quality teaching and learning that happens every day, as well as all the other incidentals which take shape on a daily/weekly basis. Therefore, upon deliberation, a lot has transpired during the course of Term Three. I congratulate the students, staff and families on a productive and successful term.

Building work update

As has been highlighted, building work for the Stage 1 project (eight new classrooms with added facilities) commenced in early September. There will be extra vehicles (including trucks) during the construction period (on Tarcoma Avenue), so please take extra care when driving and dropping-off/picking-up your child(ren).

You can view images of what Stage 1 will look like upon completion, by clicking on the following link: https://issuu.com/stjopayn/docs/new_building_2023

Festival Choir

Next week is the Catholic Schools Music Festival, occurring most nights at The Adelaide Festival Theatre. St Joseph’s Payneham is participating on Tuesday night, where we have Year 5 and 6 students representing our school as part of the Festival Choir. I congratulate all the children on their dedication in preparing for this event and wish them the very best when on the ‘big stage’. A big thank you to Ms Julia Johnson for preparing and organising the students since the beginning of this year. 

Tarcoma Gate closed, 9:30am – 2:30pm

A reminder that as an added safety measure, the Tarcoma Avenue gate is now locked from 9:30am – 2:30pm each day. A sign on the Tarcoma Ave. specifies to use the Portrush Road or Marian Road gates during the stated times.

Parish Feast, Sunday 9 October

The ‘Madonna delle Grazie di Panduri’ Feast, is celebrating its 30-year anniversary on Sunday 9 October, commencing with Mass at 11:00am (in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church). Following Mass, there will be food, music and games on the school grounds. The organisers of the feast, cordially invite you along.

Parents and Friends Bunnings BBQ, Sunday 16 October

As mentioned in the last Parent Newsletter, on Sunday 16 October, St Joseph’s Payneham Parents and Friends will be involved in a sausage sizzle at Bunnings Kent Town. If you are in the area, please say ‘hi’ and purchase a sausage and drink. All the proceeds will go back to the school. If able to assist in the way of donations of sausages or bread, please contact P&F member Kayla Holding at: kaylaholding86@gmail.com

Sports Day date, Friday 18 November

Early notice that St Joseph’s Payneham Sports Day will be held on Friday 18 November. Further details will be communicated in due course.

Rest in Peace

Condolences to the Gullifa family (Luca,3Mc and Matteo, 2W) on the passing of their maternal grandfather.

Congratulations

I share with you the following 'good news' and offer my best wishes to the Beltrame family (Xavier, RD), on the birth of their third son, 'Alfie Louis'.

Best Wishes Sonia Tronnolone

We wish Sonia Tronnolone (Year 1 Teacher) all the best for her upcoming wedding to fiancé, Guido, in the upcoming school holidays. We look forward to hearing about the big day.

End of Term Three and Commencement of Term Four

Term Three concludes on Thursday 29 September at 3:00pm. Friday 30 September is a Student Free Day. Staff will be involved in professional learning with the other Catholic primary schools in our region. Vacation Care will be available on this day. Term Four commences on Monday 17 October at 8:40am.

Wishing you well!

Simon Mechis

Sacraments of Initiation

The Sacraments of First Reconciliation, Confirmation and First Holy Communion are celebrated annually within our Parish.

The program commences in Term 3 of the school year with the preparation for the Sacrament of First Reconciliation. Normally the children celebrating their First Reconciliation are in Year 3, however as with each of these Sacraments any school age children can participate.

The following year when the children are in Year 4, they are then prepared for the Sacrament of Confirmation, which is usually celebrated by the Archbishop. Following their Confirmation, the children are then prepared for their First Holy Communion.

Preparation for each Sacrament normally involves both parents and children attending a series of Information nights and practices. These are compulsory to attend.

Our first meeting for the Sacrament of Reconciliation was held on Tuesday 20th September. It was an important night for parents as Father Michael spoke about the importance of this Sacrament and why the children are celebrating it. We also talked about the essential role that parents play in preparing their children for Reconciliation. Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 9th November at 6:00pm where the students will join the parents for a Reconciliation Workshop.

ReLAT - Religious Education Literacy Assessment Tool (for Year 4s)

Religious Education (RE) is a core Learning Area in all Catholic Schools. It is a foundation for all learning and is integrated into the life of the school through prayer, liturgy and social justice programs.   

ReLAT will be based on general religious knowledge gained from participation in RE lessons using the New Crossways Program and the religious dimension of the Catholic School. Please note that the assessment is not a measure of a child’s faith nor their participation in the broader life of the Catholic community. It is important to draw upon a variety of assessment strategies in order to develop a comprehensive picture of a child’s progress and understanding in Religious Education. 

The ReLAT assessment tool is an online multiple-choice test with 35 questions. Children are given up to an hour to complete the test. If your child usually receives some form of adjustment for their learning needs, that same assistance will be available to them in this assessment. 

The data from the ReLAT assessment will be collated and used by the school to inform whole-of-school professional learning needs and the continuous improvement of teaching in Religious Education. Individual results will be made available to your child’s teacher. An individual ReLAT report for parents will be provided to you, to complement the school report. As always, you are welcome to discuss your child’s learning in Religious Education with the class teacher.  

Classroom Prayer

Prayer is at the heart of our Christian spirituality and an opportunity for us to be aware of the presence of God in our everyday life. This sacred time also provides the opportunity for children to be in dialogue with our Catholic Tradition and seek truth and interpretation by asking questions and sharing ideas and experiences. I have been present during Prayer in classes and it has been a true gift to hear the awe and wonder of our learners as they seek meaning.

Catholic Charities Appeal

"Never see a need without doing something about it" was one of the sayings of St Mary MacKillop and is what drives our Catholic Charity work in assisting struggling families and individuals in our own community.

In Week 2 your child would have bought home a Catholic Charity Booklet which outlined some of the essential works of our charitable agencies. Some include Centacare Domestic Violence and Homelessness Services to name but a few.

Over the next few weeks, the students in all classes will be provided the opportunity to get involved in fundraising to support the homeless living in our society.

Being part of the Josephite Tradition means we are a welcoming, inclusive, compassionate community. Mary MacKillop believed that the compassionate love of God was available to all she met. Mary Mackillop had a compassionate heart for everyone.

During this time in our school community, we do the same. We promote compassion and empathy amongst our children for those less fortunate.

Please see attached the scheduled fundraising activities the students have elected to do with the class. Catholic Charities Activities

Keeping Safe Online - A great learning experience for parents!

The e-Safety Commissioner’s expert education and training team who have put together a series of webinars as part of their Parent Series. One of those webinars discusses Parental Controls.
Parents are provided with an understanding of what are the Parental Control we can use to protect our children online. An excellent video to keep our child safe. https://vimeo.com/612389757

Ingrid Douventzidiz