2024, Term 3, Week 4

Principal Message

Dear Families,

Recently six staff members from St Ambrose attended the EduTech conference in Melbourne. EduTech is one of Australia's largest conferences. The school did a presentation titled, "Authentically embedding iPads within the Curriculum."  The session was extremely well supported and the school highlighted how technology is used to support student engagement in learning. It was very affirming to see St Ambrose being recognised on a National Stage.

On Wednesday the school also received notification  regarding its renewal application to remain as an "Apple Distinguished School - ADS.

"Congratulations! St. Ambrose Catholic Primary School has been selected as an Apple Distinguished School for 2024–2027, a three-year designation. You and your staff are being recognised for continuous innovation using Apple technology to inspire, imagine, and impact teaching and learning. We’re excited to have you in the Apple Distinguished Schools community to learn and grow together." 

This recognition is an acknowledgment to the staff for their commitment, professionalism and focus on student learning / engagement that occurs everyday at St Ambrose.

For a small regional Primary School, St Ambrose has not only received National but also International Recognition!!

As a school community we should be very proud of this outstanding achievement!!

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Kind Regards,

Brian Laybutt
Principal

Special Award Recipients

Term 3 Friday Assembly and Peer Support Calendar

Year 1 Assembly

Year 3 Religious Retreat Day

Last Monday our Year 3 students were involved in a wonderful retreat day with their learning based around the Sacrament of Confirmation. There were art and craft activities, scripture stories and a prayer service. There was pizza and ice blocks enjoyed by all, a big thank you to  Mrs Angie Graham (Ivy’s mum) for picking up the pizzas for us from Kingscliff.

The Queenship of the Blessed Mary – Thurs. 22nd August

On this day the Roman Catholic Church celebrates a memorial in honor of the Queenship of Mary. This memorial is placed an octave, that is, eight days after celebrating Mary's Assumption into Heaven.

THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Holy Day of Obligation

Yesterday on Thursday 15 August, we celebrated a very special even in ourCatholic Church Calendar the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Years 3- 6 students attended Mass at 9:15am celebrated by Father John.

The Kinder, Year 1 & 2 students joined in a lovely Prayers service in the Church at 10:15.

Parish Newsletter

Sports

Netball Gala Day 

Due to severe weather conditions forecasted, Netball NSW has postponed the Tweed Cup. It will now be held on Tuesday the 27th of August.

We need your help! With 130 students attending, we require at least 30 parent helpers and umpires to ensure the event runs smoothly.

If you can assist on the day, please complete the Google form using the link provided.

Thank you for your support!

DIO Athletics

On Friday 16th August 8 students and their families will travel down to the International Sports Stadium in Coffs Harbour to compete in the Diocesan Athletics Carnival. We have students competing in both track and field events. We wish the following student good luck: 

Thomas - 9yr 100m sprint
Wren - Junior Shot Put
Eva - 11yr Long Jump and High Jump 
Eden - 100m, 200m, 800m, 1500m and Long Jump
Archie - 11yr Long Jump and High Jump 
Makani - 11yr Shot Put
Susannah - 200m and Senior Long Jump
Lincoln - Senior Shot Put

Interschool Snowboarding

Leo competed in the interschool Snowboarding GTX race down in Thredbo early last month. Leo represented St Ambrose with pride. He was selected to now participate in the state competition later this month. We wish Leo the best of luck!

Year 6 Fundraiser - Burger Day

Tweed Public Speaking Competition

Congratulations to Alaya who came 2nd in the Early Stage 1 division. 

EduTECH Conference

This week, six staff members from St Ambrose attended the global EduTECH conference, a renowned two-day event in Melbourne with over 350 speakers and more than 10,000 attendees. The conference, recognised for highlighting the latest trends and technologies shaping education, offered a valuable platform for learning and collaboration.

Brian, along with Chelsea Carter (Assistant Principal: Teaching and Learning) and Jessica Wilson (Leader of Pedagogy), represented St Ambrose, presenting a session titled "Supporting the Authentic Use of iPads Within the Classroom." Our presentation emphasised the school's comprehensive vision, the development of teacher efficacy, the promotion of a shared understanding, and the enhancement of learning experiences through the integration of Apple technology.

The session was well-received by a large audience, showcasing St Ambrose's dedication to educational innovation. We returned to school, inspired and eager to keep advancing educational excellence.

Tell Them From Me Survey

Last term this survey was completed by students from Years 4 to 6, school staff and 26% of families who chose to complete the survey.

Survey data about Student Learning

Commendations:

The majority of students feel safe at school, going to school and travelling home from school. 

 The majority of parents agree that their child feels safe at school and their child feels safe going to and from school. 

Areas for Development:

• To continue the consistent use of language incorporating our school values. 
• Implementation of our fortnightly Peer Support Program, led by our Year 6 students, focusing on positive behaviour and building positive relationships.

Growth Mindset

The concept of “growth mindset” is grounded in the work of Carol Dweck. According to Dweck, everyone holds beliefs about their own potential. Some students may think they are "not good" at something, but that can change if we add a simple word to that thought - the word "yet”. 

Instead of saying, "I can't do this," students learn to say, "I can't do this yet." This shift in mindset encourages persistence, resilience, and a love of learning. By fostering a growth mindset, we want all students to understand that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work.

This term, we'll continue to focus on nurturing this mindset in our classrooms. Through this approach, students are supported to embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, and recognise their potential. 

Chelsea Carter
Assistant Principal- Learning & Teaching

Jess Wilson
Acting Leader of Pedagogy

Opportunity for Parents/Carers: Supporting Mental Health Wellbeing of Children and Young People

Research into how to best support children and young people with mental health challenges is critical to ensuring that as a society we have evidence-based, best practice support strategies for our young people. Southern Cross University is offering parents of children aged 10-13 with mental health needs an opportunity to access a high quality online education program as part of a research project. Further information is available on this flyer for those parents/carers who would like to learn more or apply to be a part of this research project.

If your child is avoiding school, contact your child’s teacher so together you can explore what is happening for your child.

If your child is avoiding school, it's crucial to proactively address the issue by contacting your child's teacher. Teachers play a key role in observing and understanding students' behaviours and can collaborate with you to identify and address any challenges your child may be facing.

Share your observations about your child's behaviour and express any concerns you may have. Be open and honest about the challenges your child is facing in attending school regularly.

Collaboratively work with the school and your child to explore possible causes for your child's avoidance of school. This could include academic challenges or social issues. Work together to develop and monitor strategies to address the identified issues.

You can seek advice free from NSW ParentLine 1300 1300 52.

Watch Help! My kid doesn't want to go to school by Maggie Dent.

Free Webinar for Parents and Carers - Breaking Point