2024, Term 2, Week 8

Principal Message

Dear Families,

Next week School Reports will be issued to all families. These are a Progress Report and not a Semester Report and reflect your child’s learning and understanding to this point in time.

Following the reports, interview times have been made available in Compass if you wish to meet with your child’s class teacher.

The following guidelines are in place regarding Parent / Teacher interviews

• If you have questions/queries/concerns regarding your child’s report please make an appointment
• If you have recently spoken with the class teacher an interview is not necessary
• If you are happy with your child's progress, for example, as evidenced through the school report, discussions with your child, seesaw work samples or having attended the "showcase" afternoon -  a parent / teacher interview may not be necessary.
  
• If the teacher is concerned or wants to speak with you regarding your child’s progress they will contact you so as to ensure an appointment is made.

Note: Interviews are not compulsory

Last week we had our first “Showcase” afternoon. These showcase afternoons will occur each Term and are an opportunity for you to visit your child’s class and see first hand what they are doing in class, share their successes and discuss their goals. Thank you to all who were able to attend, it was fantastic to see so many people in classrooms!

During the week the school has had to contact families whose children have a low attendance rate. There are 34 families who have children whose attendance rate is below 80%. Another 17 families whose attendance rate is between 81 - 85%. Many of these students have had to endure illness which is certainly an acceptable reason for absenteeism. However many students have had a significant number of days absent due to extended holidays or “unexplained” absences. Absenteeism disrupts learning by causing students to miss critical instruction, fall behind in coursework, and struggle to keep up with peers, leading to gaps in knowledge and decreased academic performance. An attendance record of 80% effectively is one day a week! Most definitely, if your child is sick, keep them at home so 1. They get better 2. They don’t spread the illness to others. It is imperative that students attend school so as to gain knowledge, develop social skills, build a foundation for future opportunities, and achieve personal growth.

Today was our Athletic’s carnival. Thank you to all families who were able to attend. A big thank you to the children who participated so enthusiastically and to Mrs Rachelle King who coordinated the event.

Next Friday , 28th June from 9.15 - 10.15am, there will be an Parent Apple Workshop. The workshop will allow parents and friends to develop a greater understanding of how technology is used in the classrooms, develop some personal skills, learn about parental controls and ask questions - all welcome. Please register your interest by completing the attendance form available in the newsletter and via the flyer sent to families through Compass.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support

Warm Regards,

Brian Laybutt
Principal

Term 2 Friday Assembly and Peer Support Calendar

Classroom Showcase

Thank you to all who were able to attend our recent Classroom Showcase…Your involvement made the event truly special, and it was wonderful to see the pride and joy on the faces of our students as they shared their hard work and achievements.

Family support and engagement are vital to your child's educational journey, it demonstrates the importance of education and encourages your child/ren to continue striving for excellence. The conversations you have with your child/ren, guided by the parent magnet questions, play a crucial role in fostering their reflective and growth-oriented mindset.

Our Term 3 Classroom Showcase will be held at 2.15 pm on Friday 20th September (week 9). 

To all of our families…Thank you for being such committed and supportive partners in your child/ren's learning. We look forward to many more opportunities to celebrate their accomplishments together.

Chelsea Carter
Assistant Principal- Learning & Teaching

Jess Wilson
Acting Leader of Pedagogy

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School Awards

School Family/Parish Mass Celebration

SUNDAY  23^rd June STS MARY & AMBROSE CHURCH, POTTSVILLE
SCHOOL FAMILY/ PARISH MASS CELEBRATION 7:30am

All Students who made their First Holy Communion this Year will receive their certificate and we will have cake with morning tea after Mass to celebrate as a group.

We hope to see many St Ambrose families at this Mass celebration

At this Mass celebration staff from St Ambrose will be attending to the ministry duties and there will be children’s liturgy.

Holy Communion

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE FOLLOWING WONDERFUL STUDENTS WHO MADE THEIR FIRST HOLY COMMUNION THIS TERM.

Fraser, Koby,  Beau, Fin, Holly, Livia , Ivy,  Luella , Braxton, Maddison, Isaac,  Piper, Lukas, James , Madeline, Olivia , Luca, William,  Thomas, Oliver, Lola, Mason, Jai, Charlotte, Patrick and Lachlan

Term 3 Sacrament of Confirmation

Parish Newsletter

Winter Appeal

Kindergarten Teddy Bears' Picnic

Kindergarten had a paw-some day celebrating with a Teddy Bears' Picnic. It was a lovely day for a picnic, with the students enjoying the warm sun outside. Kindergarten each brought their own favourite soft teddy or animal from home to enjoy the picnic too, which stayed by their side for the whole day. The students embarked on a bear hunt and enjoyed a wonderful picnic outside. 

Kinder Teachers

Year 4 excursion St. Helena Island

Our Year 4 students had a wonderful day on their excursion to St. Helena Island. They were fully immersed in the experiences of learning about the prison settlement, listening to a number of sometimes sad but often funny stories. It was Australian colonial history brought to life! Thank you very much to our parent volunteers and teachers who accompanied the students on this amazing day! 

Drama Club

Congratulations to Madi, Lottie, Billie, Andie, Maddie O and Lily who last week wowed the judges at the Murwillumbah Performing Arts Festival with their spectacular rendition of Pinocchio, chosen by Madi. Their hard work paid off as they scored an impressive 88%, earning a medal and 1st place certificates! A huge congratulations to these dedicated performers who will take the stage to perform it again in the Week 10 assembly! 

Apple Parent Workshop

Dear Parents,

We look forward to seeing you at our second Apple Technology Parent/Carer Workshop Session for 2024.
This workshop will take participants through how technology is embedded throughout teaching and learning units. Students from years 3 to 6 will showcase their work as well as demonstrating how the application Canva can be utilised in an educational setting. 

Please register your interest via Humantix 

Location: St Ambrose Primary School
Date: Friday 28th June
Time: 9:15 - 10:15 am

Target Audience: all parents
What to bring: Your child's school ipad. Alternatively, if your child does not yet have an ipad we suggest you bring your own device and, prior to attending, create a free Canva account to use during the workshop.

Keeping your children safe for pickup and drop off

Being at school regularly helps children develop positive friendships.

School attendance is not only about academic growth but also social and emotional development. Here are several ways in which consistent attendance contributes to the formation of meaningful and supportive peer relationships:

• Shared Experiences. Regular attendance allows children to share common experiences with their peers. Being present in class provides opportunities for shared learning, activities, and interactions, fostering a sense of camaraderie.
• Consistent Social Interaction. Attending school every day provides consistent opportunities for social interaction with classmates. Regular face-to-face interactions contribute to the development of communication skills, empathy, and a sense of belonging.

Building Trust and Reliability. Being present on a regular basis helps children build trust and reliability within their peer group. Dependable attendance creates a sense of predictability, and peers can rely on each other for mutual support and collaboration.

Music Tutors