2024, Term 3, Week 8

Principal Message

Dear Families,

In our Catholic school community, fostering respectful and responsible behaviour among students is essential. Displaying kindness and empathy towards peers not only enhances our school environment but also reflects our commitment to the values of respect and responsibility taught by our faith. By treating each other with dignity, we create a supportive atmosphere where everyone can thrive academically and personally. Let us continue to uphold these principles in our daily interactions, embodying the teachings of Jesus Christ in our actions. Together, we build a nurturing and respectful community where every student feels valued and empowered.  As a school and with the support of parents / careers we need to install these values within our children.  As a staff motto we often refer to the saying: ‘The behaviour you ignore is the behaviour you accept”. We all need to ensure that if there are inappropriate behaviours you are aware of, then we all have a social responsibility to act on them and not ignore them or even worse embed a culture of not telling.

With school camps rapidly approaching, this is a time for students to cement friendships and create lifelong memories. Many thanks to the staff who, willingly, are giving time away from their own families to be with these children. In addition to this our K-2 students will commence their intensive swimming program next Monday.

Our second School Showcase afternoon will be held on Friday 20th September commencing at 2.00p.m. In addition to this we have our next Parent Apple iPad Workshop on the same day - commencing at 9.15.  ALL WELCOME !

Recently we have had many students attending various Sporting Gala Days , excursions and retreat days. It is wonderful that the students have the opportunity to be involved in a wide variety of activities but very heartening to hear of the wonderful sportsmanship and positive behaviour that our students exhibit.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Kind Regards,

Brian Laybutt
Principal

Special Award Recipients

Term 3 Friday Assembly and Peer Support Calendar

Term 3 Classroom Showcase: 2.15 - 3 pm Friday 20th September (Week 9)

We are excited to invite you to our Term 3 Classroom Showcase! This event is a wonderful opportunity for you to see firsthand the hard work and creativity your child/ren have put into their learning tasks since the beginning of the year. The purpose of the showcase is to highlight the accomplishments and progress of students in various subjects. Students will share their educational experiences and goals through technology, classroom displays, and their written bookwork. Please note that this is not a time for individual parent-teacher conferences.

You are critical partners in your child/ren’s learning, and thus you have a hugely influential role in supporting learning outcomes. To create opportunities for informative conversations with your child/ren, please bring along your parent magnet with the 5 questions to foster learning conversations. Staff and students have a similar scaffold they use to enable students to reflect on their learning within the classroom. 

1. What did you learn today?

2. How did you do?

3. What did you do if you didn’t understand?

4. How can you improve your learning? 

5. What are you most proud of? 

We look forward to seeing you at the Classroom Showcase and celebrating your child/ren’s achievements together!

Chelsea Carter
Assistant Principal- Learning & Teaching

Jess Wilson
Acting Leader of Pedagogy

Year 4 Assembly

Sacrament of Confirmation

Last Wednesday evening Bishop Gregory Homeming celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation with 72 students across our Parish Schools. This was a tremendous celebration with many families and friends attending.
Thank you to the Year 3 teachers for their hard work in preparing our students for this Sacrament.

Kindergarten Retreat Day

On Friday 6th September Kindergarten held their Religious retreat day learning about the story of Abraham and Sarah from the Old Testament. Kindergarten read the story of Abraham and Sarah and made their own craft to use to retell the story. Kindergarten learnt a song and dance about Father Abraham which was a lot of fun! Kindergarten were guided in a meditation, visualising how special they are in God’s creation. 

All of the students enjoyed the story of Abraham and Sarah and were very excited to share their learning experiences with their families when they got home. Kindergarten were fascinated to know that they are a part of God’s Great Family which is ‘...more than the stars in the sky and the grains of sand at the beach.’ It was a joyful day in Kindergarten learning around our special prayer space.

Parish Newsletter

Kindergarten Excursion to Tropical Fruit World

We’re delighted to share the wonderful experience our kindergarten classes had during their recent excursion to Tropical Fruit World! On Thursday 12 September Kindergarten set off on an adventure that began with excited chatter as the children boarded the bus, eagerly anticipating the day ahead. Upon arrival, the sight of lush orchards and vibrant tropical fruits immediately caught our attention.

First, we embarked on a guided tour of the orchards. The guide shared fascinating facts about how tropical fruits are grown and harvested. The children were especially intrigued by the process of growing fruits and how plants produce their fruit. The guide’s engaging storytelling made learning about agriculture both fun and memorable.

Next, was the highlight of our visit was the fruit tasting session. The children sampled a variety of tropical fruits, including bananas, lichees and star fruit. Their faces lit up with delight as they explored new flavors and textures. Many kids were surprised to find new favourite fruits!

Then, we enjoyed a picnic lunch under the shade of the trees and played down on the island. 

Finally, we took a boat cruise around the island and fed the farm animals

A big thank you to all the parent volunteers who helped make this excursion a success.

Chicken Burger Day Fundraiser

Thank you to everyone who bought a chicken burger on Tuesday for the Year 6 fundraiser. It was hugely successful. A big thank you to Mr Bottle and Mr Townsend for cooking the chicken and the wonderful parents and grandparent who assembled the burgers and got them to the classrooms. We really appreciate you all!

K-2 Intensive Swimming

St Ambrose Got Talent Auditions - make up days

We will be holding make up audition days next Monday and Tuesday. 

K-2 Technology Showcase

Wellbeing

Wellbeing Surveys

At St Ambrose students have opportunities to complete Wellbeing Surveys each semester. These surveys provide students with opportunities to reflect on their feelings about:

• friendships
• school
• learning
• problem solving 

These surveys provide opportunities for the staff to collaboratively reflect on the results and address the necessary support and programs required for students to feel happy, safe and successful at school.

Parenting Teens Workshop

Family Device Agreement

To support your children at home, we recommend that families create a Family Device Agreement. An online family device agreement is a great way to start a conversation so that everyone in your family stays safe and behaves responsibly online.

A family agreement can help you to: 

• Have conversations about online safety. 
• Set clear and realistic expectations and boundaries. 
• Teach and model responsible and upstanding online behaviour.
• Provide consistent guidelines for all family members, promoting fairness and understanding of the rules and expectations surrounding device and internet usage.
• Prevent issues such as cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, online harassment, and excessive screen time by establishing proactive measures and guidelines.
• Family Bonding: It encourages family members to work together, discuss, and mutually agree on the rules, strengthening family bonds and fostering a sense of collective responsibility.

Use this  Family Agreement Template  and  read more about these helpful tools at esafety. 

Remember, the agreement is for the entire family, so involve everyone and keep it visible for reference. 

Absences add up.

5 days absent per term means that your child misses 10% of their learning.

The impact of school absences, even seemingly small ones, can accumulate and affect a child's learning significantly. 

The cumulative effect of absences over time can lead to gaps in knowledge and understanding. 

Consistent attendance is vital for academic success, as each day in school provides valuable learning opportunities.

If your child is expressing reluctance to go to school regularly, it's essential to address the issue promptly. 

Watch My child refuses to go to school, what can I do? for some simple strategies – Problem solve, Validate and Hope.

NSW Health Go4Fun programs

Summer Hockey 5's competitions