St Matthew’s Primary School

Dear Parents and Carers

COVID update
At the risk of tempting fate, it seems that the spike in COVID numbers amongst our student population appears to have declined during the past two weeks. The predictions offered up by Health Authorities though, that we will experience another spike before the end of this term, should remind us not to become complacent.

For the time being we are maintaining COVID safe restrictions, meaning that parents are allowed on our playground but not inside the building. Similarly, we have restricted all external participation in excursions and non-essential sporting activities in line with advice from Catholic Education. These measures have been implemented to restrict the spread amongst our community and minimise the disruption to the Teaching and Learning program.

Wendy Ricks
We have been privileged to have Wendy Ricks, a highly regarded Aboriginal artist visit our school during the past two weeks.

Wendy has repainted our Story Poles at the front of our school and painted a brand-new mural on the east facing wall of the building. This creation includes the handprint of all staff and students of St Matthew’s. If you are visiting the school site over the next few days please have a look.

Our Community Council has plans to develop a garden of Indigenous shrubs and plants in the bed opposite the mural.

Wendy’s final piece of artwork will be the painting of a cross on the wall adjoining the gates where children assemble each afternoon.

Building Update
Progress on Stage One has been slowed due to the late decision to include new energy efficient windows. The builders are attempting to progress other aspects of the Project which do not require the windows to be installed, such as the installation of insulation and air conditioning.

Unfortunately, the completion of the demountable building has also been slowed whilst the builders await approval from Icon Energy.

May God bless you and your families

Graham Pollard

Principal

Tell Them From Me Survey Update – Staff Survey
Seventeen teachers completed this survey, and results were reflective of the eight drivers of student learning. The school mean was higher than the region mean in the areas of leadership, collaboration, and parent involvement. The school mean was equivalent to the region mean in areas of learning culture, data informing practice, teaching strategies, and inclusive schooling. Our mean was slightly lower than the region mean in the area of technology.

We discovered that our teachers work with school leaders to create a safe and orderly school environment. Teachers feel that the leadership team assists them to improve teaching practice and to establish challenging and visible learning goals for students. Our staff indicated that school leaders are supportive of them during stressful times. Areas we will continue to improve, and which are part of our Annual Improvement Plan, include teacher observation and more formalised feedback about teaching practice.

Teachers at St Matthew’s regularly talk with other teachers about strategies that increase student engagement. They participate in professional discussions about issues of inclusion, and work with other teachers in developing cross-curricular and common learning opportunities. The progress of their students is regularly monitored, and high expectations are set for student learning. We use results from a range of assessment tasks to inform lesson planning.

Teachers indicated that they work with parents to help solve problems interfering with their child's progress, and that they are in regular contact with the parents of students with special learning needs.

Changes and initiatives implemented in the last two years that our teaching staff believe have made a positive difference include:

The Bounce Back program
Professional development: The Writing Revolution, High Impact Teaching Practices, Catalyst initiatives
Daily 5 literacy practices
Inquiry
Development of our school-based diagnostic assessment schedule and data repository

Parenting Ideas Webinars at No Cost
Our school has special access to vouchers that can be redeemed for parenting webinars through Parenting Ideas. We would like to share the following vouchers and codes with our parent community for two webinar recordings that may be of interest:

Helping Your Child with Anxiety: Voucher Code - HOPE

Encouraging Good Behaviour: Voucher Code - ENCOURAGE

The voucher code can be used by you in the Parenting Ideas online shop, where the webinars are sold. Using the voucher code will reduce the webinar cost from $30 to $0 at the checkout.

Petra Cole

Assistant Principal

Petra.Cole@cg.catholic.edu.au

432c647ac85bce24275b426eee1f4177--good-news-bible-bible-illustrations.jpg

Sunday 28^th August Gospel Reading
When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.

Background on the Gospel Reading
Meals played an important role in the society in which Jesus lived. More than a time for sharing nourishment, they were a time to share ideas and to model different aspects of social relationships. The narrator says Jesus tells a parable, but it is really wise advice to both guests and hosts about finding true happiness at the heavenly banquet.

Jesus warns guests to wait before taking their places at the table lest they be asked to move if someone more important arrives. This is more than just a lesson about dinner etiquette. It is advice on how to find your true place in the Kingdom of God. Jesus advises hosts not to invite people who would be expected to repay them to dinner but to invite those who could not repay: the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. This is where real blessings can be found.

Family Connection
In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus talks about doing good deeds for others and expecting nothing in return. Read aloud Luke 14:1,7-14. Ask your children how they would feel if you told them to take on more chores without ever expecting anything in return. Emphasise that Jesus teaches us that it is our duty as his followers to take care of the needs of others and to do so without expecting repayment. Discuss what other types of rewards we can find when doing good things for others.

Point out that we sometimes fall into the trap of wanting too many things and that, in the Our Father, we pray for “our daily bread,” meaning that we pray for only that which we really need in life. Conclude this time together by praying aloud the Our Father.

Feast of the Assumption
Last week students celebrated a liturgy in class groups focused on Jesus' mother, Mary, and her Assumption into heaven. The Catholic Tradition teaches that Mary, being the Mother of God, was assumed into heaven after she died to be with her son, Jesus. As she carried Jesus, who is God, in her womb, her body was holy.

Mary's faith enabled her to recognize the work of God in her people's history and in her own life. Her openness to God allowed God to work through her so that salvation might come to all. Mary is a model and symbol of the Church. May we be like Mary, open and cooperative in God's plan of salvation.

Staff Spirituality
Our staff have been participating in a series of faith formation twilight meetings. The faith formation is centred on our personal spirituality, faith and call to vocation in Catholic Education. We will be finishing off our formation series during the pupil free day in Week 8. The morning will start by exploring our mission and ministry, using Jesus’ model of ministry as our guide. We will finish by reflecting on the most recent Student Faith Formation paper released by NCEC to inform the spiritual nourishment of our students.

First Holy Communion
Please continue to pray for those students who will be receiving the sacrament of First Holy Communion later this term. They have begun preparing at home with their families and have been attending commitment masses on the weekends. All of Year Four will participate in a short inquiry unit about Eucharist in class, culminating in a retreat day that will bring together all their learning in a prayerful way.

Dear Parents

On Friday we are holding our Book Week Dress Up and Activity Day. We are inviting students to come dressed as their favourite book character and we encourage them to bring along a copy of the book or a printed photo of the front cover. We will be meeting for assembly as normal and then moving straight into activities based on this year’s shortlisted books, which means that we won’t have time for a book parade this year. Parents are welcome to join us for assembly to see all the wonderful costume.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Sally Judd

Teacher Librarian

Homework Survey
The Homework Committee at St Matthew's is comprised of a small group of teaching staff who are eager to find out more about your family's availability and desire for homework.

We have designed an initial survey for this purpose, and we encourage parents and carers to fill out the five question Google Form linked below. It is anonymous and will help us gain a better understanding of your thoughts on this topic.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGUCyuehoMoruhc_vV4uyA5r1n9_H7e3Fkxx_i77KwS1nWXg/viewform?usp=sf_link

We thank you in anticipation of your time.
St Matty’s Homework Committee

All families have received their log in details via email for our new Compass Parent Portal. The Compass Parent Portal is an online portal that allows you to interact with the school and access up-to-date information. Once you have your log-in credentials and download the app, you’ll be able to: