Annual Improvement Plan

 Our 2023 Key Improvement Goals are:

• To improve all students’ growth in English and Mathematics using assessment data to inform teaching and learning. 
• To develop a shared understanding of the curriculum, strong content knowledge and the skills to implement high impact teaching practices that improve student learning.
• To develop staff capacity as Catholic educators through professional learning, implementation of programs and initiatives, and engaging parents for improved student learning, wellbeing, and inclusion.

With a focus on the first two goal this term we will be implementing a Direct Instruction program in Years 3-6 called Reading Mastery. Mrs Ferris has outlined further information in her article. 

Big Steps & Kinder Enrolments 

It is such an exciting time for families preparing their children for school. We believe your child deserves the best education possible and we welcome them to share their learning journey with us. Together, as parents and educators, we hold their hands as they step towards their big future.

In April and May we invite families to book an interview appointment with the Principal, Mrs Jo Scott-Pegum. During this meeting, your child will have a conversation and share their growing skills for school. All documents as outlined in the online enrolment application need to be presented at the interview.

We are listening to our community and have planned a series of activities to support a great transition to school. We encourage your involvement and ask that you contact the school office to confirm your child’s attendance.

Road Safety & Drop Offs 

As our supervision for the day begins at 8:30am St Pat's students can arrive at school from this time. If you require your child/children to be dropped off earlier you are required to contact the school to arrange this. 

To help our school community safely transition back into school travel, each term Transport for NSW will provide relevant links and information to help raise awareness the school community about safe school travel. 

Keeping our kids safe around schools  

https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/downloads/keeping-our-kids-safe-around-schools.pdf  

Children and Pedestrian Crossings – You Tube  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih0rXAqxSZg&t=13s  

School Zone Fines and Demerits

https://www.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-11/School_zone_offences.pdf

Emma Grant

(Acting Principal)

This week, our STEM sessions have started each Friday. STEM this term will be a run as a five-week block for each class. These lessons will be taught by Mrs Harnett and will focus on using a wide range of technology, such as Spheros, Virtual Reality headsets and related programming tools. I visited some of the classes today and loved seeing the high level of engagement in each lesson.

This Term, classes in Years 3 to 6 will be starting a new reading program called ‘Reading Mastery’. This is an explicit instruction program that aligns with our school-wide, evidence-based teaching practices of direct instruction. The feedback that we have received about this program has been excellent and we are looking forward to seeing some great results with our students when we begin using the program in Week 4.

Reading Mastery uses evidence-based Direct Instruction to help students become fluent, independent, and highly skilled readers.

It offers a systematic approach that accelerates reading and helps students achieve a high rate of success. Three strands address reading, language arts and literature through a common instructional design that helps students learn more efficiently.

Please feel free to contact Mrs Ferris if you would like any additional information about any of our learning programs.

Mel Ferris

Acting Assistant Principal

News from the Religious Education Coordinator

Welcome to Week 2.

Last Sunday several of our Senior Primary students enrolled at Mass for the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Enrolments are still being received this Sunday at the 9.30am Mass in Bega. Please remember to bring your enrolment forms with you to Mass.

Religious Education at St Pat's

This week I visited the Middle Primary classes.

In Religion they are learning about Creation and how the images of God are created in the likeness of God and how these images are depicted in the Old Testament.

Archdiocesan News

The Archdiocesan Marriage, Family & Relationships team would like to invite staff and parents in your school community  to two events on May 23rd with guest speaker Christopher Padgett;

-A Men’s Breakfast, in collaboration with Menalive

-A cocktail dinner, designed to be a fun & encouraging night out for anyone interested in encouraging the vocation of marriage & family in our Archdiocese: single, married, ordained, consecrated, young or old. All are welcome.

Chris Padgett is a Catholic husband, father & grandfather, as well as an author, musician and entertainer. He has a Licentiate in Theology and works in marriage education for the Diocese of Syracuse, New York.

You will shortly receive an envelope with posters and flyers advertising these two events. We would greatly appreciate it if you could display the posters where parents and staff are likely to see them and advertise the Chris Padgett events in communications with staff and parents and on your social media pages. Please see details below

Tuesday 23 May | Marriage & Family Life Cocktail Dinner | 6:45 pm

Enjoy a fun night out with parishioners from across the Archdiocese while Catholic author, comedian and theologian - Christopher Padgett - helps us laugh our way to a more hopeful vision of the Church’s proclamation of marriage and family life. All welcome – single, married, young and old. Tickets are $45 and include wine, soft drinks, hot finger food and dessert.  Venue: Veritas Building, ACU Watson,. Enquiries: Lara Kirk lara.kirk@cg.org.au 0429 192 869

Registration: http://bit.ly/PadgettCocktail

Tuesday 23 May | Catholic Men’s Breakfast | 7:00 – 8:45 am

Have breakfast at Haydon Hall with like minded men and a Catholic Author, Speaker, and Entertainer, Chris Padgett. From the Diocese of Syracuse (New York), Chris Padgett uses humour and personal stories to inspire and encourage men young and old to take hold of the awesome vision the Church proclaims for developing our lives and relationships to the full.

Cost: $38. (Tables of 8 for schools only at $220) Enquiries Frank Stanford fstanford200@gmail.com 0417 664 110
Registration: https://bit.ly/ChrisPadgett

Any enquiries can be directed to Lara Kirk  lara.kirk@cg.org.au 0429 192 869

Julie Lott 

Acting REC

High School Transitions 

Starting high school can be a big adjustment. Here is some advice on how to prepare your child to become a high school student. 

Starting high school is a new experience that can involve many changes for students, including:

• going to a larger school
• changing classrooms and teachers for each subject
• choosing elective subjects
• more responsibility for managing their schoolwork and study
• making new friends and dealing with peer pressure.

Many high schools offer activities to help prepare new students who will be starting high school the following year, including:

• orientation or open days
• transition to year 7 programs.

We are beginning our transition programs. This week Lumen Christi visited to talk to our 5/6 students and Our Year 6 students will visit Lumen Christi for their open day on Wednesday 24th May. 

https://www.lumen.nsw.edu.au/enrol/orientation-programs-&-information-eveningshow-to-enrol-copy 

Last Friday 29 students travelled to Wolumla to compete at the Regional Cross Country Carnival. The day was very warm and Wolumla is a tough, hilly course. The fact that our school carnival was only held on Wednesday, meant that a lot of our runners found going hard. Everyone tried their best and should be proud of completing the difficult course.

Four St Pat's kids have made it to the next level in Canberra (a much easier course than Wolumla.) Congratulations and good luck to Archie, Will N, Arly and Sienna J.

Our Junior Primary fun run will be held shortly. More info on this soon.

The next sporting event will be the school athletics carnival. We are hoping to be able to hold this towards the end of this term.

Jannene Harnett