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Dear Parents and Carers,
What a wonderful celebration of fathers, grandfathers and father figures at our Father's Day breakfast. Thank you to the Men of St Patrick parish group for once again cooking up a storm and serving the breakfast. Happy Father's day to all on Sunday!
Thanks Aleeta for your great choreography!
Happy Father's day to all on Sunday!
Blessings
Jo
On Wednesday I attended the Assistant Principals Network Meeting. One of the sessions focused on vocabulary instruction and our system approach of Direct Instruction.
There are three tiers of words.
- Tier 3 words are low frequency words related to a particular topic or subject.
- Tier 2 words are words children might know, words that have shades of meaning and are books words and not often words used in speech.
- Tier 1 Words are everyday words that children learn socially and don’t need teaching.
As a system we focus on teaching tier 2 words because they are not common in spoken language and 20% of words in texts are tier 2. In Reading Mastery each lesson starts with the focus on tier 2 words.
A child’s vocabulary develops through:
- Phonological input - hearing words’ sounds
- Semantic association – being told the meaning
Here are a few tips to help make vocabulary learning a playful, positive family habit:
- Foster a Love of Words
Being curious about words can prime your child to notice and learn new words. Actively spark your child’s delight in words by playing silly word games and using rich language in your everyday conversations. Pause to marvel at appealing phrases in books. When your child asks about an unfamiliar word, praise his/her interest and take the time to respond.
- Teach New Words During Reading
As you read aloud, teach new words in a relaxed, natural way. Simply pause to give a brief, child-friendly definition of an unfamiliar word. Hone in on a few words that are important for understanding the story and that your child is likely to hear in multiple contexts.
- Practice Words Through Conversation and Play
Children need to revisit words again and again to successfully integrate them into their word banks.Use real-life examples, play, and other books to help your child build a mental “web” of information about a new word.
Emma Grant
Chapel Mass Week 8- 5/6G (Families Welcome)
On Monday, we had a visit from Teah who works with the St Vincent De Paul Education Team in Canberra. Teah ran a workshop with Year 5/6 students, discussing issues such as homelessness, and support services available for those experiencing challenges. Students engaged in fun activities, while learning about ways that we can individually make a difference to the life of someone in need. Students from the Mini Vinnies team then participated in a workshop, looking at ways that they can identify issues and help people in need. Both sessions were fun and engaging and encouraged our students to think about the world around them.
Our Mini Vinnies group have been busy coming up with some ways that they can spread kindness in our school and community. They have decided to start some fundraising for Caritas Australia, by resuming the Friday ice-block stand. This will start again in Week 8 and icy poles will be 60 cents.
Mel Ferris
(Acting REC)
This week in sport, students engaged in skills-based activities that focused on speed and agility. They worked in teams to improve their personal best.
It was a busy week in lunchtime clubs, with students engaging in lots of games and craft activities. There were smiles all around.
Thank you to families who have paid their Term 3 fees.
A friendly reminder Term 3 fees are now due.
As we have moved to the new finance system, the preferred method of payment is BPAY. The new BPAY details are listed on your monthly statement.
BPAY payments can be made via a lump sum or a weekly/fortnightly payment plan can be set up. Payments made in instalments (that don’t cover fees in full before the due date) must be arranged and approved by the school. Please contact the Office on 6492 5500 if you need to make an instalment arrangement.
If you are currently experiencing financial difficulties, please make contact with the school office. Please remember that if we don’t know your circumstances, we are not in a position to provide assistance. Applications for fee concessions are managed by the Principal in a confidential and sensitive nature.
The Australian Dental Health NSW (Dental Clinic Van) will be visiting our school during Week 7, Term 4.
Consent forms are to be returned to the office by next Monday 4th September.
