Term 1 Week 4
We begin a very important season in the Catholic church with Lent beginning last Wednesday and Ash Wednesday celebrated on this day. Lent is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us for Christ’s Resurrection. Ash Wednesday comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting. The practice includes the wearing of ashes on the head. The ashes symbolize the dust from which God made us.This year our four school captains, Millie, Logan, Zara and Parker represented the school at the St Christopher’s parish mass. They received the ashes to be brought back to the school. The school came together in Cooinda to celebrate a school Ash Wednesday celebration, using the ashes brought back by the captains. It was lovely to see a number of parents also joining us for this occasion.
Last Thursday we help our Parent Teacher conversations where parents had the opportunity to meet and talk with their children’s’ classroom teachers. It has been a number of years since we have been able to have face to face meetings so it was great to see so many families and continue to connect with everyone.
This week has been a busy week as we held the first Advisory Council meeting on Tuesday evening. Child Safety and 2024 school focus was discussed. As we list the many events, activities and learning that we provide, they fall into three main groups where the school focuses on improvement and making a difference.
High quality Teaching includes contemporary learning and teaching and pedagogy, targeted professional learning, knowing students learning styles, data driving improvement, providing quality feedback, reflecting with peers, team work- collaboration.
Targeted Support includes intervention programs, adjustments made where necessary, QUEST Enrichment Program, focus groups, goal setting, LSO support in every classroom, parent relationships, PSG meetings.
Wider Strategies social emotional learning program ie Respectful Relationships program, Parents’ auxiliary, MOSA, School Advisory Council, specialist programs, social skills program, extra curricular- camps, excursions, Interschool sports, school events, sacraments, school theme, schoolwide values.
All Catholic schools undertake a review process every 4 years. The process allows the school to highlight the priorities and practices that support student outcomes through school improvement and effectiveness while highlighting areas for celebration and areas of opportunity. This evidenced-based process/framework is designed:
- to assist schools and teachers to improve student outcomes
- to satisfy legitimate expectations of government and sector authorities. (policies, processes, child safety)
This year we will be reviewing the past four year cycle (2021-2024) and developing priorities for the next four years. (2025-2028). There will be a whole school closure day on 12th March for staff to work with a MACS facilitator to work on this school improvement process. There are no children on this day.
Enrolments for 2025 prep are now open. This is for existing families and new families. Please get the word out so that new families have the opportunity to apply. Existing families must also submit an enrolment form for their 2025 prep child to ensure we have included your child in our final numbers. Head to the ‘Noticeboard’ page for detailson information sessions. If you are an existing family you do not need to attend these sessions. Please pass this information on to new families.
Wednesday night we held the 2024 Prep information session for our prep parents. Thank you to Jo Crawford, Kristina Costello, Stephanie Rotili, Clare Kheir and Maree McBean for presenting on the night and being available to talk with parents about the school and to answer any questions. Thank you to all the parents who attended and to Sean Kitchener for coming along to talk about the MOSA group.
We welcome two new Learning Support Officers to St Augustine’s: Tahlia Tanti is working in 1/2 A and Priscilla Canturi will be working in 3/4A.
Tonight ‘Inform & Empower’, a digital safety and wellbeing organisation, will present an online webinar titled ‘Raising Kids In A Digital World’. This is a requirement of all parents to attend. You will hear from both the expertise of an experienced primary school teacher and a cyber safety educator (Marty McGauran) combined with the insights of a psychologist and mum (Carly McGauran). You will need to register first to receive the webinar link.
Our Parents Auxiliary met last Friday to plan for events in 2024. There is an open invitation to any parent who wishes to join the group. They meet twice a term to organise events such as lunch orders, family fun days, the fun run, Bunnings BBQ, trivia night, raffles and many more fundraisers and social events. These events cannot go ahead without people to organise them. We need you on board! Contact Clare on Claireboskovic@gmail.com 0432 538 556 to find out more and how you can offer a little or a lot of your time and expertise.
This Friday night, MOSA (Men Of Saint Augustine’s) will be holding their first event. MOSA was created in 2022 as a way for the dads and men in the lives of our students to connect, build a network, attend fun social events and contribute to the school. This first event is a bare foot bowling night at Keilor bowls this Friday. Go to the ‘Noticeboard’ page for more details.
School photos are on 5th March. Head to the ‘Noticeboard’ page to log in and place an order.
Our beginning of year liturgy will be held on Tuesday 27th at 9.15am in Cooinda. We are privileged to have our parish priest Fr Peter celebrate the mass and excited to have Bishop Curtin also celebrating with us. Bishop Curtin has Confirmed our Yr 6 students over the past 10 years and has become a great friend of the St Augustine’s community. Families are also invited to attend.
Cathy Steere
