Welcome to the end of Week 8!  It’s crazy to think there are now only 2 weeks of this term remaining.  We have continued to feel the effects of absences of students and staff due to Covid-19.  Our students are to be commended for their behaviour and continued flexibility and resilience as normal routines have required adjustments for many classes.    

It was great to host potential new members of our St Benedict’s community at our Prep Open Day this morning.  Our senior students in Year 5/6 were very eager and enthusiastic tour guides, showing families around our school.  A reminder, if you have a child who is starting in Prep next year (in 2023) or have a friend wishing for their students to attend, enrollments are due now, with interviews beginning in May.  

A note from the Parish

The parish are seeking expressions of interest from students (girls and boys) who have completed the sacramental program (either this year or previously) who might be interested in becoming an Altar Server during weekend masses within our parish.  If this is something you and your child would be interested in, please let me know (via email) and I can pass this information onto the Parish who can then organise the next steps.  

Project Compassion

Each week, Project Compassion has a video to show how they are supporting people and communities around the world.  Please see the link below to see one of the many projects around the world and to see where your donations might be spent.  This week's story takes us to Arnhem Land, Australia and is about a woman named Janice.  If any of these stories inspire you to give any monetary funds to Caritas, we have collection boxes within classrooms and in the school office.

https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion/janice-story/

Pax,

Nick

National Day of Action Against Bullying 

This week saw us as a school mark the National Day of Action Against Bullying.  Classes joined together with their Buddy class to discuss the message - “Bullying No Way!” and discover ways we can build a Kindness Culture within our school.  Students talked about how Jesus taught us to love one another and care for each other.  This is part of our St Benedict’s Way of Peace - Empathy and Care for Community.  Together students made posters, engaged in craft and built meaningful and positive relationships with each other.  Monday 21st March is Harmony Day, a day of celebrating those diversities that bring us together and make each of us special in our own unique way.

Jesus said: “Love one another as I have love you” John 15:12

P&F News

On Friday of Term 1 the annual Fun Run will be held in the morning.  The P&F will supply a Zooper Dooper for the kids as they come across the finish line.  This is always a fun morning for parents and kids alike.

Parent/Teacher Interviews

A reminder that parent teacher interviews are scheduled for this coming Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd of March. The booking system has now closed. If you missed your opportunity to book, and would like to speak to your child’s teacher, please email your child’s teacher and organise a time. Interviews will be held in the Hall and are timed to ensure everyone stays on track. Please arrive on time to ensure they run smoothly. It will be wonderful to have you in the school and be able to talk face to face with your child’s teacher. 

NAPLAN Testing

NAPLAN is a national literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit in May each year. It is the only national assessment all Australian students do.

As children progress through their school years, it is very important that checks are made along the way to see how well they are learning the essential skills of reading, writing and mathematics. NAPLAN is a point-in-time assessment that allows parents to see how their child is progressing in literacy and numeracy against the national standard and compared with their peers throughout Australia. At the classroom level, NAPLAN provides additional information to support teachers’ professional judgment about student progress.

Year 3 and Year 5 students complete NAPLAN Online, with the exception of the year 3 writing test which is completed on paper. Coming up to the tests, students will be engaged in learning about the types of questions that will be on the NAPLAN test and how to navigate the site. Students will also participate in a practice test this coming Thursday 30th March in order to become familiar with the platform. If you would like to, you and your child can access the Public Demonstration Site  to familiarise yourselves with the type of questions and related functionalities available in the NAPLAN Online assessment.

This website (https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/parent-carer-support/) provides further information and resources about NAPLAN for parents and carers.

Parents or carers may withdraw their child from the tests to address issues such as religious beliefs or philosophical objections to testing. It is recommended that withdrawal be considered in consultation with your child's teacher. If you would like to withdraw your child from NAPLAN please contact your child’s teacher as soon as possible and you will need to sign a form along with the Principal (Penny or Nick) by Friday 6th May. 

The NAPLAN schedule for St Benedict’s Catholc School is below. Wherever possible, we will organise for individual students who are absent at the time of testing to complete missed tests at another time during the test window. Classes will resume as normal (no more catch ups) after Friday 13th May. 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding NAPLAN please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher. As stated, we appreciate that NAPLAN is a point in time assessment, and we know your children for all their strengths and achievements outside of standardised testing. 

Yours in Learning,

Aleesha