St Benedict's Catholic School Shaw eNewsletter

Staffing the school in 2024 continues to be a hot topic in these final weeks of the school year as we continue to build the best team for our school.

It is with pleasure that I announce that Aleesha Rockemer will be the Acting Assistant Principal- Pedagogy and Learning for 2024.

Aleesha has been instrumental in leading the learning and teaching at St Benedict's and will continue to do so in this purpose-built role. Aleesha has expertly created and driven Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and is a leader in innovative learning and teaching practices that are evidence-based and data-informed.

She will be instrumental in the continued creation of high-performing teams to create school improvement by creating the conditions for success for every student.

This term we welcomed school officers Tracey Molloy and Makayla James, and they have settled in well and will remain with us in 2024 onwards.

We thank Avril Hordern for her work over the last 6 months in the office. Avril will have her last day today, 17th November, preferring to explore options assisting students in the classroom.

Sally Woolcock has accepted a position at Marian Catholic School in 2024 and we wish her all the best. Sally has been at St Benedict's since June 2020 and has been a dedicated staff member who has advocated for student wellbeing and has delivered quality teaching and learning practices. Her professionalism is to be commended and she will be greatly missed.

Alicia Stokes has decided to tender her resignation at the end of the year. Alicia has been with us in Year 5 since Term 2 and has brought enthusiasm and dedication to her teaching, developing strong relationships with her students to maximise their potential.

We wish Alicia all the best and look forward to seeing her around the school in a relief teaching capacity.

Technologies teacher Sara Pemberton will take up the eLearning role, and spend half a day a fortnight leading in this area.

Lizzy Christie will continue in the role of First Nations Teacher and she will move into the eProjects Co-ordinator role in 2024, as Rebecca Lucey has maternity leave.

We welcome Pierina Massatto back for four days a week in Year 2, and Lizzy Christie will work with Peirina to take the class on Fridays.

Andriana Dawson is relocating to Townsville from St Francis Ayr and joins the Prep team. We are currently recruiting for the final member of the Prep team.

Krystal Bachmann is a 2023 Graduate who has been on Permission to Teach at Belgian Gardens SS and will join the Year 1 Team next year and Katrina Slocombe will continue with us in 2024 as well in this Year 1 team. Sara Marrington and Gemma Gutherum will also share together in Year 1.

Alexandra Wenta joins the Year 3 team as an experienced teacher from St Mary’s Bowen and Elisha Hudson will join the Year 5 team next year. Elisha is an experienced teacher of nine years at Hermit Park SS and will bring a great deal of experience to the team. She is joined by Chloe Bassett who joins us from All Souls and is experienced in teaching Year 5.

Mark Fleming is joining the Year 6 team, bringing a wealth of experience in teaching, as well as being a senior leader in Religious Education and Learning and Teaching.

We extend blessings to Angela Cowie, who is moving to Willows SS 2024 and Theo Papazis who finishes his contract at the end of the year.

Maya Hall is making the move to Brisbane and Elly Caspanello, Belinda Fern and Kirsty Atkins, are taking 12 months leave.

We eagerly await the joyful arrival of new babies in the St Benedict’s community and wish Meg Durnford, Rebecca Lucey and Anna Morgan all the best and we wish Steve Cromb and his wife Catherine all the arrival of their new bundle of joy.

I will continue to keep you updated as we move into the final stages of the year and feel very confident that our staff will provide the very best learning opportunities for your children.

Retiring Board Members

Terri-Ann Rabig and Carole Ogilvie have generously served on the school Board since St Benedict’s began in 2018. Their maximum time of service (six years) is reached at the end of this year, so they will be retiring from the Board.

The St Benedict’s community has been blessed by their contribution. Their passion, dedication and commitment to the success of the St Benedict’s community is greatly appreciated.

Student Culture considerations for 2024

Student Leadership

During 2024, we will be creating a Student Leadership structure for implementation in 2025. We will make sure to consider our context and school mission and vision in creating this framework. Student and parent consultation will be part of this process, which ultimately aims to engage all of our senior students in leading in our community, with some elected student leaders taking on a more active role. Further information will be provided in due course.

Uniform Policy review

As I mentioned early in the term, I am conducting a review of our Uniform Policy and requirements so that we can be clear about what is expected in 2024.

I am looking to other Catholic systemic schools to create some more clarity around our expectations at St Benedict’s. Hair is a particular focus area as we have a number of different hair styles and colours at the moment in the school that likely do not meet our uniform expectations.

I will ensure that this review takes place by the end of the year and will send out an email which makes uniform expectations clear for the start of the school year.

Blessings

It’s the end of Week 7 - it’s crazy to think that there’s only 2 weeks of the year remaining!

Today was our Year 2 - 6 Interhouse Athletics carnival. It was a great day at the pool and it was wonderful to see so many of our students participating and giving it their all - including many trying out some races (backstroke) that perhaps they haven’t tried before. A big CONGRATULATIONS to Dulgan (Yellow) House, who has taken out the win today.

There are also many thank yous that must go out for an event such as this. To our P&F and many wonderful volunteers during the day who helped with cooking and serving sausages - it’s a big job keeping everyone fed - and you did a wonderful job. To Miss Rowe, for organising the carnival. These things don’t just happen, and Miss Rowe has again provided our students with great opportunities and a well run carnival! Also thanks must go out to all of our teachers and school officers who supported our students on the day!

Prep - Year 1 Wet Play Day

Parents of students in Prep & Year 1 should have received an email with details of next weeks ‘Wet Play’ day. We have included the flyer also in this weeks newsletter. Miss Rowe has again organised for an engaged, and what is sure to be enjoyable morning for our students!

St Vinnies Christmas Appeal

Each classroom block now has a basket for donations to contribute to the St Vincent de Paul Christmas appeal. As well as making donations, some families may like to come along and help with packing the hampers which go out to families. This will be taking place on the morning of Saturday December 16 and the Good Shepherd Community Centre, Rasmussen. All are invited to assist with packing, and is a small way of providing joy for members of our community who might need it at this time of year.

End of Year Events

Please see below some flyers of other events coming up for the rest of the year. Looking forward to seeing some of you there!

Pax,

Nick

Writing results on the rise!

We are now at the end of our two year journey with the ‘Writing Project.’ We are so proud and excited to see our students succeed in writing, be motivated to write, and have our NAPLAN results move upwards in a positive direction. We will continue to analyse data, plan, and teach writing with practices we have learned over the last two years. I look forward to continuing our practices and pedagogy and seeing our results continue in an upwards trend. Most of all, I look forward to continuing to see our students thrive, be motivated, and excited to write!

School Holidays!

The school holidays are only two weeks away! I hope you all have a wonderful break and enjoy some family time together.

To encourage continuity of learning, I have listed some fun ideas to encourage children to keep growing their knowledge and skills:

Oral language - Talk! Talk! Talk! Whether you are in the car, cooking dinner, or going on an adventure, talk with your children, ask questions, and have meaningful conversations. Children can develop and learn many skills through oral language
Drawing/Writing/Art - Bring out the pens, pencils, and writing paper and get creative! Maybe go old school and write a letter to the grandparents? Maybe encourage your child to create their own children’s book (or do it together)!
Keep a holiday diary/journal
Real life experiences - cooking, reading recipes, writing shopping lists, estimating money spent while shopping. Whatever you are doing, learning can happen!
Go on a nature walk (trail, park, beach), take photos, or draw and record your observations.
Go on excursions - whether you are going away, or staying in Townsville, there are plenty of things to do. If you are staying in Townsville, the School Holiday Guide is a great resource for ideas. It will be available on the 24th November on the Council Website.
READ! READ! READ! - Daily reading is ESSENTIAL. I totally understand that it might be tricky to read every single day on holidays, but please try to keep up the habit of regular reading (at least every 2 days), as it will make a lot of difference when your child returns to school.

Have a wonderful and blessed holiday,

Aleesha Rockemer

(Learning and Teaching Adviser)

In this edition of SchoolTV - THE STATE OF YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH - AU

Parents and carers can play a crucial role in their children's mental health. As a result, staying informed on the current state of youth mental health is vital, as it not only affects individuals, but also families and communities. According to recent research, the frequency of mental health disorders among young people is increasing, with anxiety, depression, and self-harm being among the most common challenges.

One of the reasons being attributed to this rise is the heightened stress and anxiety that many young people face in today's society. Academic success, social media, and family issues are all influencing factors. Many young people are still suffering the long-term consequences of the pandemic, such as social isolation, uncertainty, and loss.

Parents can play an important role in their children's mental health. Creating a safe and open environment for your children to talk about their emotions, thoughts, and feelings is vital. Encouraging healthy habits like regular exercise, a balanced diet, and proper sleep can help reduce their stress levels and boost your child's overall mental health. There are also many resources and services available to children, adolescents, and their families, such as school counsellors, various mental health organisations, support lines, and of course, mental health professionals. It is important to remember that seeking help is a show of strength, not weakness, and that early intervention is critical in addressing young people's mental health difficulties.

This edition of SchoolTV, discusses some of the major mental health issues affecting young people and how to support a child experiencing them.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the The State of Youth Mental Health - AU edition of SchoolTV
https://stbenedicts.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/state-youth-mental-health

Yours in Support
Rhylie Mathiesen
Pastoral Care Coordinator