April 11th , Term 1, Week 10

Principal's Reflection

Dear Families,

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone within our community for their support in what has been a busy but fulfilling Term 1. Within any school there is usually a general structure to the school year. Term 1 is where relationships are established, classroom routines and structures are embedded, and expectations are communicated. What I have observed across our school is the implementation of all of these aspects, along with a strong focus on learning. Teaching and Learning is our core business here at St Brigid's Wynyard and across the term we have been able to successfully implement a number of programs that include:

• Spelling Mastery in Grades 3-6
• Paired Fluency in Grades 3-6
• New teaching and learning materials in Mathematics that have been developed based on the Science of Learning
• Friendology
• Science of Learning Pedagogies based on research informed best practice

Thank you to all of our staff for their work, dilligence and commitment to improving outcomes for our students and for trying new strategies and approaches to assist in the holistic development of all children.

In reflecting on our strategic goals as a leadership team, we have been able to meet many of the outcomes set for this term. Thank you to our leadership team comprised of Andrea Jaffray Morf, Erin Robotham and Virginia Smith for their collaborative leadership at SBW. Some of our goals that we have achieved this term are:

• Reflecting on our current mission/ vision statement as a leadership team
• Beginning the development of an instructional playbook based on the science of learning, in consultation to staff

• Liaising with CET to formulate a plan for a playground based on funding

• Providing regular teaching and learning updates to our community about research based best practice pedagogy 

As we conclude Term 1, I wish you all a safe and restful Term break and look forward to seeing you back at SBW on Monday April 29. Just a reminder that Friday April 12 (Tomorrow) is a student free day. 

Loving Father,
as we come to the end of another term
we turn to you in confidence
and place any difficult relationships
into the healing hands of Jesus, your Son. 

Help us appreciate more
the need to keep a good balance in our lives.

May the holiday be for us
a time of rest and recreation
to help restore us and re-create us
in your image and likeness,
as we enjoy more of the love and presence
of our families, on whom we ask your blessing.
Amen. 

Thank you for your ongoing support

Nic Saltmarsh

Principal

Student Free day

Please note that tomorrow (Friday April 12) is a student free day. SBW staff will be participating in a spirituality day. We will welcome back students to SBW on Monday April 29 following the term break. 

Religious Education

Tomorrow, our staff will participate in a system wide Spirituality Day.  These learning days for Catholic Education staff, are provided to assist us in our own spirituality and focus on our vision and mission and the values of our Church. The day will involve prayer, reflection and discussion, and support recognition of the educational and spiritual needs of our students.  

By having such opportunities, staff can continue to support our students to develop spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, physically and socially. 

We wish you all a blessed time together during the school holidays.

Andrea Jaffray Morf

Deputy Principal

Teaching and Learning

At SBW we are always looking of ways to improve our teaching and learning programs. Based on the advice of Catholic Education Tasmania, research and COGLearn (who we partner with as part of the Insight Project) we will be implementing a program titled Rocket Maths in Term 2. 

Rocket Maths is a ten-minutes-a-day, supplemental, maths facts practice curriculum.

• Students learn 2 facts and reversals on each worksheet in a carefully controlled sequence which enables mastery at an individualised pace.
• Students practice orally with a partner every day.
• One minute timings assess when students are ready to move to the next set of facts.

The implementation of Rocket Maths will further support the Mathematics Curriculum. 

Early Years

SetUp for Success is Catholic Education Tasmania’s birth to five program.  It is open to all families within the community who have a child aged between birth and five years of age. Parents attend SetUp for Success alongside their children in a welcoming and inspiring environment designed to promote development across all learning areas.  Each week the SetUp for Success Coordinator works with families to:

• Support parental understanding of child development
• Respond to learners’ interests, strengths and needs
• Communicate the learning that is on offer, and why this learning is important to their child, and
• Provide resources to assist families to continue to support their child’s learning in their home settings.

For further information, please contact virginia.smith@catholic.tas.edu.au

This month, have some fun choosing activities from the list below to build a connection with your young children:

• Walk together in your nearby park, beach or bushland
• Read together
• Tell stories when you are in the car together
• Play cooperative board games
• Play card games
• Prepare dinner together and create and try out new recipes together
• Have movie time and talk about the movie afterwards
  
• Play tag or hide ‘n’ go seek
• Play charades together
• Build lego together
• Play I Spy together
• Do ‘random acts of kindness’ for others together
• Play dress up together
• Face paint each other’s faces
• Make sock puppets and put on a puppet show
• Build an indoor fort.

Remember…. leave your work at work and put your phones away.

Virginia Smith
Early Years/Literacy Coordinator
Indigenous Key Teacher

Friendology

This Term teachers started with a strong focus on our Friendology lessons and we are witnessing the Friendology language being used in all school areas.

Sometimes, children are reluctant to share with their families if they’ve had a Friendship Fire with a friend, or they’re dealing with an up-and-down friend, or they’re having trouble making friends. Instead, they will often suffer in silence. 

So, what can you do to encourage your child to open up and share freely with you?

First, think of yourself as a Friendship Coach. Coaches don’t go out there and play the game for their players. Instead, they give them advice and send them to play. Then, they stand back on the sidelines and watch. When they call their team in, they point out what they saw and give the players some tips and guidance. It should work that way with parents too, coaching your children through their friendships. Avoid jumping in to solve the problem. Instead, ask: “What can you do to make this situation better?” 

1. Remind your child of Friendship Fact #1: No friendship (or relationship) is perfect! Share a story about a friendship in your life that’s tricky sometimes too.
2. Get your child to think about a challenging friendship in their life – maybe one that they’ve been struggling with. 
3. Ask them, “Where is your friendship on the Friend-o-Meter with that friend these days? How does it feel?” Encourage them to explain why.
4. Say, “What are the cool things about this friendship? What are the not-so-cool things?” When they share qualities that they find challenging, ask them: “Is that a Deal-Breaker or is that something you can live with?”
5. Remind them that their friends aren’t perfect and make mistakes sometimes. Say, “It’s important to accept our friend’s faults, but also have boundaries around what we will and will not accept in our friendships.” (In our Friendology curriculum, we refer to these as Must-Haves and Deal-Breakers.)

Winter Uniform

As of Term Two, we will be changing to Winter Uniform. 

To clarify, the Smart Play Jumper will only be worn on Thursdays and Fridays for Grades 3-6.  This jumper replaces the Maroon Rugby jumper that we are phasing out.  Grades K-2 can wear the Smart Play Jumper every day as part of their uniform.

The Winter Uniform uses either the Soft Shell Jacket, the woollen jumper, or both if required. As of Term Two, the woollen jumper will be available to order from Midford as a standard item. This will be live on the Midford Website by the end of this week with orders arriving before the commencement of term two. You will notice if you request one that the colour is different (a darker Navy) from the previously available one through the school.  Both Colours are acceptable.  We anticipate that students in Grade 3 this year will start with the New Navy, and eventually, the older colour will phase out.  

The new Jumper will cost $84.00. The older coloured navy jumpers are still available on QKR for $40.00 with most sizes still available. 

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call the office.

This is a link to our Uniform Policy should you need to review it

School Photos

School Photos-Wednesday 8th May

MSP has sent an email regarding the ordering process of School Photos. Please act on this as soon as possible, with any questions that you may have directed to MSP Photography.

We ask that Students wear full Winter uniforms for School Photo Day.

 All sibling photos are taken before school from 8.30am.

Students must present themselves to the photographers at the allocated time for the sibling photo to be taken.

Reminder to please purchase your photos via the Compass portal on your computer or the Compass app on your Android and iOS devices.

 Regards,

MSP Photography”

Mothers Day Plant Stall

On Friday, May 10th, we will hold a Gift Plant stall for Mother's Day in our hall at lunchtime. The prices will be between $5 and $15 and include mini-terrariums, succulents, and indoor plants. There will be a raffle on the day with larger plant prizes to be won-picture and prices to follow.

Any cuttings (already Potted) from our green finger families would be greatly appreciated! Please bring them to the school office on Monday, May 6th, only.

Anzac Day

Students interested in joining our SRC members for the ANZAC Day march and service on Thursday, 25th April 2024, are asked to meet Miss Amanda Reynolds near the wooden benches at the top of Gutteridge Gardens (bottom round-a-bout) at 10:30am.  Students need to be in full winter uniform. 

 We ask parents to pick up their child promptly at the conclusion of the service at the cenotaph. 

Kinder 2025

Please note that we have had considerable interest in Kindergarten enrolments at St Brigid's for 2025. 

Kindergarten enrolment packs have been sent out to all families who have expressed interest in enrolling their child in 2025.  We encourage families to return the necessary forms before the 30th June 2024.  The Kindergarten Information Night will be held on the 13th June 2024.

All families with young children are encouraged to attend and participate in our early learning program ‘SetUp for Success’, held every Thursday during Term in our Kindergarten classroom 9-10:30am.

ICT

When to ask for Help Online. 

‘Young children are very good at asking for help because they are reliant on their parents, carers, and the other trusted people in their lives. As they grow, we usually teach them to be self-reliant and independent – but it’s important not to rush that when it comes to online safety. Children need to know it’s OK to continue to ask for help when they are using digital devices’ e-Safety Commissioner 

 As soon as your child begins using an online device, having conversations about what is happening on the screen and what they are doing is important to grow confidence levels. Therefore, when something unexpected happens, they are comfortable coming to an adult for help. 

All children need to know how to ask for help in the following situations:

• They are contacted by someone (known or unknown)
• A pop-up appears
• They see or hear anything that makes them uncomfortable, scared, or sad. 
• They are unsure if something is true
• They are unsure about anything else online

Talking about who your child can come to when they need help is a good idea, so they can identify grown-ups around them who can help if a situation arises. 

When responding to your child asking for help: 

• Listen and take the time to answer their questions. 
• Let your child know that they won't be in trouble if they ask for help. 
• Recognition, praise, and encouragement 

Information Sourced from  - e-Safety Commissioner 

Capital Works

The pump track near our garden and ouside of Kinder has been removed. Remediation work has begun in this area with new grass hopefully beginning to grow shortly. We have ordered the playground equipment and once it has arrived it will be installed throughout the playground area. We look forward to sharing more information in regards to this project as it progresses. 

Early Drop off

We have noticed that some students are being dropped off to school earlier than 8.30 am, when our school doors open. Please note that staff supervision commences at 8.30 am. If children are dropped off early they are not to be playing on school grounds but instead sitting outside the Grade 4 classroom. Students are asked to shelter under the undercover areas next to the Grade 3/4 classes during the upcoming wetter months. 

CET Student Testing Policy

Formal testing gives staff significant insight and data to ascertain where students are at in their learning. CET have developed an official student testing policy (below). This will be further supported by internal testing that occurs at SBW.

Term 2 Football

FOOTBALL

Keep your eyes peeled for an expression of interest and information regarding the T2/3 (potential Mid Term Start) Friday afternoon Football Roster for Grade 4-6 students.

Upcoming Events

Parent Information