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Thank you to everyone who was able to come to our End of Year Mass this morning. It was lovely to see so many parents here. Our students were fabulous throughout the long service where we gave a blessing to all students and staff who are leaving St Benedict’s at the end of this year, our Year 6 students in particular. We look forward to their Rite of Passage on Monday evening to celebrate the transition from primary school to secondary school.
O’Holy Night
We have our much loved Carols night on Wednesday 30 November scheduled to be held here at school on the low oval from 6.30pm. If we continue to get more rain (as expected), our grounds become too wet and boggy for parking. We may have been able to sit on the oval with our blankets on the ground but the car parking becomes the major issue. We have tentatively booked the Ryan Community centre in Morindo Drive Kirwan to host our O’Holy night if the wet weather continues. There is plenty of good carparking there at the Church and across the road at the Mary Mackillop Centre. Please note however that the Ryan Community Centre is clearly not going to be as big a space as our low oval and if it is actually raining on the night, we won’t be able to spill out into the courtyards that surround the centre allowing space for more people. With this in mind, please consider the number of guests that you bring to the event if it is moved to the Ryan Community Centre. On our low oval, it is so easy to have parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles but at the Ryan Community Centre, this will not be possible.
OSHC 2023
Please know that I have heard there have been letters advising families they may not have a place for all the families who require it in 2023. I am working with MMCNQ and TCE to assist with attaining a higher level of registered space for OSHC and with some other ideas that may assist. I hope to provide more details about this by next week but will also stay on it over the break if need be. We understand the needs of our families and will continue to work towards a solution that works for everybody.
Step Up Day 2022
On Tuesday 29 November, we welcome all of our new Prep students and students new to other year levels as well as our new staff. Parents of new students are welcome to come along too. Students from 2022 Prep- Year 5 will move to their new year level block and classrooms by 9.00am and will be supported internally by current teaching and support staff. 2023 Prep and new students will meet in the hall. Prep students for 2023 will be split into their class groups in the hall and will go with their new teacher to their new classrooms. New students from other year levels will be supported to go to their new classrooms by leadership staff. All parents will remain in the hall to engage with visiting groups like OSHC, School Locker and the P&F. We will show a video from the 2022 year and provide a school tour for those who have not been able to attend one. Prep 2023 parents can then meet their children in the Prep playground just before 10.30am to collect them. Other new students can be collected from the hall. Any 2022 Year 6 students not attending the Ryan Orientation Day will be able to assist the leadership team with school tours. Any other students not returning to St Benedict’s in 2023 will be supervised by Mrs Sara Pemberton in the Technologies room.
Staffing 2023
Prep Bilbies- Miss Meg Durnford
Prep Wombats- Miss Kate Andrews
Prep Koalas- Mrs Amanda Prideaux
Prep Platypus- Miss Elly Caspanello
Prep School officers- Mrs Andrea Smalley, Mrs Anna Donaldson, Mrs Amanda Ackland,
Mrs Dana Kern, Mr Dom Figg, Mrs Marlinda Squires
Year 1 Possums- Mrs Anita Abel (Beauchamp)
Year 1 Bandicoots- Miss Bridget Horton
Year 1 Wallabies- Mrs Chantel Redgen
Year 1 Echidnas- Mrs Charley Favalli and Mrs Gabby Torrens
Year 1 School Officers- Mrs Sandra Raleigh, Mrs Candice Glover, Mrs Hannah Sinclair
Year 2 Curlews- Mrs Toni Pilcher
Year 2 Magpies- Mrs Lizzy Christie, Mrs Sara Marrington
Year 2 Lorikeets- Mrs Anne McGrath
Year 2 Kingfishers- Mrs Renee Macala, Mrs Kandis Huston
Year 2 School officers- Miss Sophie Jones, Mrs Cathy Beale, Mrs Mel Foley, Miss Ashlyn
Stevens
Year 3 Brolgas- Mrs Sally Woolcock
Year 3 Kookaburras- Mrs Belinda fern
Year 3 Emus- Miss Jamie Eggins
Year 3 School officers- Mrs Stacey Toigo, Mrs Leza Triffitt
Year 4 Dragonflies- Miss Samantha Garbutt
Year 4 Butterflies- Miss Abbey Huckvale
Year 4 Grasshoppers- Mr Steven Cromb
Year 4 School officers- Mrs Elena Parfenyuk, Mr Jack Hall, Miss Olivia Scott
Year 5 Jellyfish- Miss Rebecca Curley, Mr Theo Papazis
Year 5 Dolphins- Mrs Angela Cowie
Year 5 Turtles- Miss Isabelle Dow
Year 5 School officers- Miss Kiarra Nolan, Mrs Stacey Eisel, Mr Callum O’Dwyer
Year 6 Crocodiles- Mrs Kirsty Aitkins
Year 6 Scorpions- Mrs Kirsty Robins
Year 6 School officers- Mrs Kirsty Herron, Mr Todd Daniels
PE Prep - Year 2 Miss Stevie-Lee Rowe Year 3 - 6 Mr Theo Papazis
Spanish- Mrs Gabby Torrens
Visual Arts / Music- Mrs Cecilia Robertson
Drama/ Dance/ Media- Mrs Sarah Pugh
Technologies- Mrs Sara Pemberton
Wow, that list has gotten long and that’s just the classroom staff.
School Improvement Plan 2023 - 2027
Please click on the link above (the heading) to see the goals we have set for the next five years at St Benedict’s. Each goal is listed under a Townsville Catholic Education Strategic Priority. You will note that each goal is quite broad and therefore will be unpacked in different ways each year. Next year, if we consider our goals in relation to our school values, they can be broadly summarised as
- Love- Catholic Social Teaching and Pastoral Care
- Learning- Defining our Literacy Block expectations and developing consistency across the school
Developing High Performing Teams
- Stewardship- Build a Service Learning Framework
- Community- Parent Engagement
As this is our last newsletter for 2022, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for a fabulous year. I am so grateful to our community for your input, your time, your passion and commitment to St Benedict’s. We have a lot to look forward to in 2023, including our final building project to complete our Masterplan and growing to a school of 550 students.
Have a wonderful last week of school next week and then a safe, happy and holy break. See you all again in 2023.
Cheers
Penny
We’ve nearly reached the end of the year and this is our final newsletter that will be going out. It’s been an absolutely MASSIVE year for all involved in our school community! It’s crazy to think back to the start of the year where we couldn’t even be together properly for the first month. Fast forward till today where we could gather as a school community for our End of Year Mass - and it reminds me of the value of community, and being with people.
Like everyone, I’m starting to feel a little weary, but the sound of jingle bells in the distance is starting to raise my spirits, as I hope it is yours! Next week we have the 2 Curlews who are presenting their Nativity Play to the entire school, to again remind us that the reason we celebrate Christmas is the birth of Jesus. I look forward to this every year! There are also still a number of events to go next week, including Year 6 Rite of Passage, our Step Up Orientation Day, O Holy Night and Year 5/6 Retreat Day, and I’m sure we will finish on a positive note.
Finally, I am IMMENSELY proud of our (no longer) little school and all it has achieved. Despite the challenges that 2022 has brought within our community, it is so wonderful to see that so many of our students are able to thrive here at St Benedict’s. I sincerely wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a joyful break. Good luck to all those leaving us at the end of the year, and I can’t wait to see all those returning in 2023…but for now, I think we’ve all earned a break!
Pax,
Nick
Vinnies Christmas Appeal
We will continue to accept donations for the Vinnies Christmas appeal up until the last day of school. Please assist us in making this a Christmas filled with joy for all members of our Townsville community.
Step up Orientation Day
Our ‘Step Up’ Day will take place on Tuesday November 29 between 9:00am and 10:30am. ALL students attending St Benedict’s in 2023 will spend the morning with their classroom teacher and peers for 2023. Our teachers and students are always very excited for this day. This event is specifically for students. Parent of new students are invited to attend at the Hall where they can talk to the Leadership Team, OSHC staff and other community members.
O Holy Night
Our Christmas Carols event under the stars is back again this year (weather permitting) on Wednesday November 30. All classes (as well as the Kindy) perform at the event. ALL are welcome to attend this event.
Reflecting on the year that has been reminds me of so many special moments along the way. For our school community, after being unable to be together for the first term due to COVID restrictions, the chance to again enjoy each other’s company at the Mother’s Day Wine and Cheese night, the Father’s Day Ten Pin Bowling and our Athletics and Swimming Carnivals has been wonderful. As Jesus said, “When two or more are gathered together in my name, I am there with them”. This has truly been the case for our community this year. I am looking forward to many more of these opportunities in 2023.
I would like to congratulate and extend a heartfelt thanks to Mrs Renee Neville for all her hard work and efforts for the P&F. Her commitment is deserving of the Catholic School Parents Queensland (CSPQ) Mappas Medallion Award. Without her tireless organising and planning, our events would simply not happen. Thanks to all those members of the community who answered Renee’s call for assistance throughout the year also.
This year we have also seen the introduction of a number of pastoral initiatives that have proven to be a success. Many thanks to Ignatius Park College and their Year 11 Boys who engaged with our Senior boys in a mentoring partnership this year. The boys have all enjoyed the opportunity to connect and develop their personal and leadership skills. We look forward to this continuing next year. Our Senior girls also engaged with the You Grow Girl initiative. Visits from special guests including Olympian Alex Ferlazzo, Northern Rays Netball players Kelsey and Ema, and Hit 103.6 radio presenter Gabi Elwood have been a huge hit.
We have also had coach Tim Nugent and players from Townsville Mendi Blackhawks work with small groups from Years 5 and Year 6 through the Resilience Project. We are looking forward to their return next year. Our Year 3 to Year 6 students also had a visit from Shannon and Mechelle from the Queensland Police Service who delivered the ThinkUKnow program on cyber safety and online behaviours. Mrs Mathiesen and Miss Barb (Mrs Barbara Salisbury, Guidance Counsellor) ran several successful Seasons For Growth groups this year and already have a list of students and families ready to participate next year.
To add to our initiatives for 2023, we are excited to be preparing to extend on our school wide Zones of Regulation approach. Our Pastoral Care Team has worked hard this year to prepare the resources and lessons for our students to support their growth and development of emotional intelligence.
I pray that you all have a restful and restorative Christmas and a bright and happy New Year.
Regards
Ros
How we Teach Reading
When we first teach children to read, we teach a sequence of sounds. For example, the first sounds we teach in Prep are ‘m’ ‘s’ ‘t’ ‘a’ ‘p’ ‘i’ ‘f’ and ‘r’. Once students know these sounds, they can begin to read words such as ‘sat’ and ‘sam.’ Our teachers differentiate and will continue to teach the sequence of sounds as each student progresses, consequently being able to read books with more words.
Sequence of Sounds
Prep:
(m, s, t, a, p, i, f, r)
(o, c, d, h)
(e, n, g, l)
(k, u, b, j)
Prep/Year 1:
(w, ck, ll, ff, ss)
(sh, qu, ee, z/zz)
(ch, v, x, y)
(wh, th, oo, ng, ay)
(CVCC, CCVC)
Year 1:
(ai/ay, ee/ea, oa/ow, igh/y, ew/ue)
(split digraph)
Year 2:
(ar, or/ore, er/ir/ur, ear/eer, air/are)
(ou/ow, au/aw, oi/oy)
Once students have learnt the sequence of sounds and can decode fluently, they continue to read books of interest, related to learning in other subjects, or books carefully chosen by their teacher for a particular purpose. Teaching reading continues right up to grade 6, and focuses on reading fluently and comprehending texts.
Reading over the holidays
Reading is not homework, it is integral to learning and life skills. Children (and adults really) should be reading texts every day. These could be books of interest, recipes, information books, eBooks, and other texts available to us. If children are not feeling up to reading (we all know we have those days), it’s important to read to them. When children are being read to they are developing a love for reading, their listening comprehension skills, their language and listening skills, strengthening fluency and expression by being modelled to, and can improve their working memory. When part of routine, it is also a special time together as a family and can enhance the bond between you and your child.
If your child is a beginner reader and is learning to decode words by sounding them out, they would have been bringing home decodable home reading books. Now that the year is coming to an end they are not bringing these books home anymore. I have listed some books and activities that you can do with your child/ren to keep their learning active:
- SPELD SA Phonic Readers have released free eBooks to read online. There are 10 sets, and each set focuses on different phonemes (letter sounds). Open each set and ask your child to “tell me what sounds these letters usually make.” If they can tell you the sounds, they are most likely capable of reading the books in the set. If they can’t tell you the sounds, then the books will most likely be too hard.
Furthermore, the Instructional Handbooks have corresponding activity sheets that you may like to print out and use with each book.
When engaging in extra work at home, it is very important to keep the learning positive. If your child is not engaged nor wanting to participate in the activity, it is important to step away. Learning at home should be about creating opportunities for your children to experience success with reading and learning. If in doubt, pick up a book, snuggle in bed or on the couch, and enjoy a good book together.
Have a great holiday break,
Aleesha Rockemer
Learning and Teaching Adviser
Compass - Parent Portal - Semester Two Reports
We have provided some instructions on how you can access your child's Semester Two Report using the Compass Parent Portal. Reports will be available on Monday 28 November (you will receive a message when they are ready). If you require any assistance please contact the school office.
Tuckshop will be running on a limited menu for the Wednesday and Thursday and closed on Friday
