St Paul's Newsletter: Wednesday, 14 September 2022
2022 St Paul's Newsletter - Term 3, Week 10
From the Principal
Dear Families,
Oh what a term! Our students have worked very hard on their learning in their classrooms. During the term I spent time visiting classrooms. When I visit classrooms I enjoy the opportunity to discuss learning with the students. I often sit down next to a child and ask 5 questions:
- What are you learning? Why?
- How are you going with that?
- How do you know?
- How might you improve?
- Where do you go for help?
This gives me an insight into how our students are understanding the concepts being taught. Are they in tune with the Learning Intention that the teacher has given them? Are they clear on their criteria for success? Our teachers are doing a great job presenting the students with clear Learning Intentions and Success Criteria, and this translates to our students being very clear on the purpose behind their learning tasks. Our students have worked very hard this term in their classrooms and I congratulate them on a great Term 3.
Of course, there were MANY extra curricula activities that our students participated in and they achieved great things! Here's what we achieved together in Term 3:
- Year 3 First Eucharist
- Senior Inter-School Sport
- Year 3/4 Chess
- Grandparents and Special Person's Day
- Book Week
- Book Fair
- Father's Day Stall
- Wonder in Aliceland School Musical
- Indigenous Literacy Day recognition
- RU OK? Day recognition
- World of Maths visit
- Swimming and Water Safety Excursion to Aquanation
WOW!! It was an action-packed 10 weeks at St Paul's. We pride ourselves on being a school that offers a wide range of opportunities, there is something for everyone here, and all children have opportunities to shine. I hope you all enjoy some family time on the holidays and we look forward to seeing you on Monday 3 October for the beginning of another fantastic term at St Paul's.
Term 4: No Hat, No Play
From the beginning of Term 4 students are required to wear their school hats on the yard and will be permitted to wear their summer uniform if it is warm. At the beginning of Term 4, parents are welcome to decide on the most appropriate uniform depending on the weather. We usually end the winter uniform, and move into full summer uniform, at the end of October. I will update everyone on specific dates for uniform changes in next term's newsletters.
Hats are a must from the beginning of Term 4!
Term 4 is not far away so please remind your child to ‘dig out’ that hat! Hats are available to purchase from the RHSports Uniform Shop if needed.
COVID-19 Update
Any student or staff member who tests positive to COVID-19 must now isolate for a minimum
of 5 instead of 7 days.
If we are asymptomatic, we may return to school on day 6.
If we are symptomatic, we must remain in isolation until day 7. If we have symptoms after 7 days, it is strongly advised to stay home until the symptoms have resolved.
As additional risk mitigation, the Department of Health strongly recommends that we wear
a face mask away from home indoors and outdoors when physical distancing is not possible.
If we are leaving isolation on day 6, wear a mask for a further 5 days but particularly the first 2 days. If we are leaving isolation on day 7, wear a mask for a further 4 days but particularly the first 2 days.
Consider taking rapid antigen tests before attending a workplace, including schools, sensitive
settings or visiting people at higher risk of severe illness. If you are positive, stay home. The school has a good supply of the RAT kits so if any family requires RAT's then pop into the office and we will provide them free of charge.
World of Maths
We enjoyed our visit from the team from World of Maths on Monday 12 September. World of maths is an incursion that visits schools with interactive hands-on maths activities. The students always enjoy the world of maths session and we look forward to the visit.
CARNIVAL! FETE! Re-Establishing the Mountain Doo
The Mountain Doo Fete is run at St Thomas Motre's, Belgrave. This is a major Parish fundraising event, and the committee are seeking helpers from the church centres at Monbulk, Emerald and Gembrook.
Planning meeting: St Thomas More's Hall - Thursday Sept 15 at 7.30 PM
A plentiful supply of refreshments and sweets will be provided for children and parents. The committee are seeking enthusiastic contributions of ideas for the Mountain Doo which has always been a star attraction for the Hills. It would be great if members of our St Paul's Monbulk community were able to support and encourage anyone interested to go along tomorrow night.
Warm regards,
Michael Watt
Semester 2 Report Changes - Seesaw
At St Paul's we are always looking to add value to the practices we have in place. Over the past couple of years, we have strengthened our use of Seesaw to engage our families in learning. We use Seesaw to provide feedback to our students and inform/engage parents. Seesaw was a brilliant tool during remote learning and we know that our families are familiar with it, so we have made the decision to use Seesaw as a basis for our Semester 2 reports.
Semester 2 reports will look slightly different to what parents have seen in the past. In fact, you are already receiving the reports via Seesaw right now! We have shifted to a ‘continuous reporting model’. Let me explain…
What is continuous reporting?
Continuous (or ongoing) reporting is the process of reporting regularly throughout the term/semester, rather than just at specified points. As teachers, we assess our students throughout the semester. In the past parents did not get a report on how their child was going until the end of a semester, which was often a long time after the assessment had taken place. The system of continuous reporting will allow parents to get an up-to-date, timely snapshot of what their child is learning and how they are progressing. It will support parents to participate in discussions with their children about their learning and enable parents to follow up with teachers in a timely manner if they have any concerns. Continuous reporting is a report or learning journal that builds throughout the year and provides students and parents with regular assessments of student learning. Ongoing reporting will utilise Seesaw.
At the end of Semester 2, the written report will include:
- A personal comment about your child’s achievements
- Overviews that describe the learning content
- Work habits and effort
- The Victorian Curriculum Achievement page (dots).
- There will be no checklists included, these are now on Seesaw in the form of rubrics.
What is the Victorian Curriculum Achievement Page?
This page will still be included... See below for an example...
What is a rubric?
Rubrics displayed on Seesaw have replaced the checklists you have seen in the past.
A rubric for assessment is a table or a grid that lists success criteria for a task or subject, and then a scale for the teachers to indicate your child's achievement. If you open your child’s Seesaw you will see that teachers have set tasks and the teacher has included a rubric with the task, which lists success criteria in a table with an indication of the level of achievement for your child.
These checklists are no longer in the school report:
The checklists are now in the form of rubrics, uploaded to Seesaw, throughout the term/semester:
It is vital now that all parents have access to their child’s Seesaw learning journal.
It is imperative that every parent is on Seesaw and is logging in to view their child's learning progress. The staff also ask that on occasion parents leave a positive comment for their child on their work. We see the children ‘light up’ when they open Seesaw and mum or dad have left them a message of encouragement around their learning.
ITALIAN DAY - Friday 14 October
School Closure Days 2022
We ask that parents take note of these dates and put them in their calendars:
SCHOOL CLOSED - Thursday 15 September:
SCHOOL CLOSED - Friday 16 September:
SCHOOL CLOSED - Monday 31 October (Cup Eve)
SCHOOL CLOSED - Monday 5 December
*Please Note: Friday 16 December is the conclusion of the school year for St Paul's students.
From the School Office
Scholastic Book Club
Many thanks to our wonderfully generous, book loving parent community. Check out the St Paul’s School library latest book acquisitions - brought to us via commission from your purchases at the Scholastic Book Fair and Book Club.
Rapid Antigen Test Kits (RATs)
As per government guidelines, schools are still being provided with RAT kits for staff and students during Term 3, however schools are no longer required to routinely send them home with students. We are instead providing them to St Paul's families on request.
If you would like to collect RAT kits from school or would like them to be sent home with your child/children, please either phone or email the school office.
Holiday Program - Skateboarding
Hi everyone,
For those whose kids enjoyed the skateboarding sessions last week, there is a school holiday program happening in Gembrook. Go to the website to book in.
https://skatepark.ymca.org.au/all-aboard
Emma-lee Curwood
Call for Support from our Year 4, 5 & 6 Students
If you have a business and would like to support our Year 4, 5 & 6 students in reaching their goal of $10,000 to build a library for a school in Tramri, Pakistan, please consider the advertising opportunity below and contact the school office.
Lunch Clubs are BACK!
Our lunchtime clubs are back up and running. They are held in the library/open learning space 1:30-2pm, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Uniform Shop
Ross Haywood Sports - Update:
St Paul's Online Uniform Shop
https://www.rhsports.com.au/product/school_wear/st_pauls_monbulk_ps
For in-store purchases RH Sports are located at 12/100 New St, Ringwood (subject to any COVID restrictions in force at the time).
The store is now a CASHLESS STORE, EFTPOS transactions will be the only acceptable method of purchase. Recent changes to improve the health and safety of staff and customers include perspex screens at the registers and the supply of hand sanitiser. We ask that customers please apply this on entry to the store.
Online ordering continues as normal with all delivery options available including contactless pick up. Please phone the store on 9870 1377 if you have any further queries.
Secondhand Uniform Shop
Our secondhand uniform shop is managed by Carla Rademaker with items being purchased by gold coin donation. Payments can be made via CDF Pay. If you are looking for items of secondhand uniform please feel free to text Carla on 0409 866 901 with your wish list. Items will usually be sent home via class tubs or collected from the school office by arrangement.
The secondhand uniform shop welcomes donations of St Paul's current school uniform items which are still in good condition. We do not accept the old St Paul's round neck jumpers, yellow shirts or non-St Paul's items. If you have any current uniform items you no longer need please feel free to leave your donations at the school office.
OSHClub
Out of School Hours Care: OSH Club
Enrolments, Bookings and Enquiries
Parents will need to enrol with OSHClub. Please visit https://www.oshclub.com.au/ and click on "REGISTER". You will need to enrol with the Monbulk Primary School service.
Community Notices
Transition Information
Catholic Secondary - Key enrolment dates for Year 5 students in 2023 starting Year 7 in 2025
The key enrolment dates for students in Year 5 in 2023, who will be starting Year 7 in 2025, have been agreed after consultation with the Executive of the Principals Association of Victorian Catholic Secondary Schools (PAVCSS).
Critical Dates:
27 January 2023 – Applications will open for Year 5 students commencing Year 7 in 2024.
18 August 2023 – Applications will close.
20 October 2023 – Offers to be posted to prospective Year 7 applicants.
10 November 2023 – Final date for parents/carers to accept an offer made by a school.
COMMUNITY DIRECTORY
