Dear Families,

It’s hard to believe we are already in Week 5. Today we celebrate the Feast Day of the Assumption of Mary into heaven. Students in 4 Blue prepared a wonderful prayer liturgy for the school to help us celebrate this holy day of obligation. I thank the students and Miss Dewey for putting this beautiful celebration together.

I would like to thank our outgoing Student Representative Council and congratulate our incoming SRC. I know the new council have already met are starting to think of new ways we can improve our school. I look forward to working with them for the remainder of this year.

Next week we will hold the school’s first Learning Journeys since COVID. This will be a wonderful opportunity to have a look through your child’s classroom and at some of the work they have been doing this year. Learning Journeys will be on Tuesday 22nd August from 3pm until 5pm. Some teachers will still be completing duties until 3.30, so if you come in early, please be aware that your child’s teacher may not be there until later. Families are reminded that this is not a time for a teacher interview as teachers will need to be available to support all families who are coming in to visit. If you would like to talk with your child’s teacher about something specific you are welcome to make an appointment at a time when the teacher is able to focus solely on you and your child.

NAPLAN results have now been released and the school’s leadership team has had an opportunity to look through this year’s results. We were very pleased to see that almost one quarter of our Year 3 students are reading at a level well above national expectations. We have also had very pleasing results in Year 3 spelling, where our school performed well above the national and ACT averages. This year we saw our first cohort of students who started the Initialit program halfway through 2020, completing NAPLAN. While we know that NAPLAN is just a snapshot of student learning, these results combined with other in school and system-wide assessment data, is showing that many of the programs we have introduced over the last few years are having a significant positive impact on student learning.

Some of you may have heard that Mrs Myles and I are currently teaching 4 Green. The nationwide teacher shortage has meant that we have not yet been able to secure a teacher to replace Mr Mackenzie while he is on leave. While we are both very much enjoying being back in the classroom, we know this has meant that we are less available to meet with families. I would sincerely like to thank those parents and carers who have worked with Lee and Steph to find times to meet with us at time outside of the school day, and for your patience and understanding when meetings are delayed. We are working very closely with CE to appoint a teacher as soon as possible.

Take care and God bless

August Birthdays

Samuel B, Indyah M, Chase M, Mason M, Karen F, Ari U, Frederick N, Matilda P, Liam B, Sophia H, Zoey M, Tyler E, Lachlan B, Summer P, Jaxson P, Michael P, Meghan S, Ashea K, Gabriella S, Erin H, Adeline B, Rabik B

As a reminder to families, school commences at 8:50am with our morning assembly. At this assembly important messages are given and reminders for the day. Lessons begin at 9am. It is essential that all students attend the morning assembly and are ready for the beginning of their learning day by 9am. We understand that there are occasions where students arrive after 8:50am however there has been a steady increase of students arriving shortly after 9am and therefore missing the important messages for the day and the beginning of their lesson. This is not only disruptive to the teacher and class but can also impact your child’s learning if arriving late on a regular basis. 

If children are arriving late, it is required that a parent sign their child in at the front office.

We appreciate your assistance and working with us for the benefit of all students.

The Beginning of August is Hats On For All of Us  
    
The beginning of August marks the start of the sun protection period for Canberra primary school settings, this is because we begin to witness daily UV levels climb to 3 and above every day, and whilst it may not be all day, it will be for part of the day in August ie lunchtime. ACT schools need to know what time to enforce sun protection each day and never rely on temperature to gauge sun protection times. 

Yes, August is still very cold in the nation's capital but it also signals Hats On Again for all Canberra primary schools and early childhood services.

STA hats are availble for purchase from the Front Office for $15 each.

Over the next several weeks students will be introduced to Ngunnawal vocabulary. This week students will be learning "Widyan" meaning "Possum". Thank you Miss Evans for continuing our learning of our Ngunnawal Country.

The Community Council would like to thank all the families who were able to attend the Andrew Fuller Event held at the school last night. It was wonderful to see a packed house and we hope that each of you were able to take something away from the presentation.

For those who were unable to attend, please see the links below to access Andrew's work, resources and books. In particular, the website My Learning Strengths provides student & adults with a free assessment on how to identify YOUR particular learning strength and how to fully utlise the skills you already possess. It also provides fantastic free Fact Sheets and information on where to access the best resources for your individual situation.

We are so excited to be holding the upcoming STA school disco.  It will be a wonderful opportunity for our students to come together, enjoy music, dance, and create lasting memories.    

To ensure a safe and respectful environment, we kindly request your cooperation in adhering to the following guidelines: 

• No Phones at the School Disco: We kindly ask that students do not bring their phones to the school disco. This measure is taken to encourage face-to-face interactions, enhance the overall experience, and prevent distractions during the event. 

• Respect Privacy- No Photos on Social Media: We understand the desire to capture special moments, but we emphasise the importance of respecting the privacy and safety of all children. We request that you refrain from taking photos of any children during the school disco and avoid posting any pictures on social media platforms. This ensures that everyone's privacy is protected and prevents any unintended consequences. 

• Encouraging Social Interaction: The school disco is a fantastic opportunity for your children to engage in face-to-face interactions with their peers. Dancing and socialising in a real-world setting can help build confidence, communication skills, and lasting friendships. 

By adhering to these guidelines, we aim to create a positive and enjoyable atmosphere for all attendees. We appreciate your understanding and support in helping us maintain a safe and respectful environment. Please discuss with your children the STA behaviour expectations. 

Thank you for your cooperation. We look forward to a fantastic school disco!  

ANXIETY PROGRAM

Expressions of interest for term 4 being accepted for children in years 3 - 6. Beginning Wednesday week 1 of term 4.

The program will be run on-line over 10 consecutive weeks on Wednesday afternoons from 4pm. One parent is required to attend with their child at each session, two are welcome.

The following information explains what the Cool Kids program involves and who may find the program helpful.

About the Cool Kids Program

Cool Kids is a structured program that teaches children and their parents how to better manage a child’s anxiety. The program is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), involves the participation of children and parents, and focuses on teaching practical skills. Topics covered in the program include:

• Learning about anxiety
• Learning to think realistically
• Parenting an anxious child
• Facing fears using stepladders and
• Learning coping skills such as relaxation or problem solving.

The Cool Kids program was developed by Macquarie University over the past 25 years, has been translated into several languages and is used in clinics, schools and hospitals around the world. The program has undergone continual scientific evaluation and development to include the latest understanding of anxiety and its treatment. Current results indicate that most young people who complete the program show significant improvement. Following treatment, there are marked increases in school attendance, confidence, number of friends and involvement in extra-curricular activities and decreases in worry, shyness, fear and family distress.

How is the Cool Kids Program Delivered?

Cool Kids sessions will be run online by a clinical counsellor accredited to deliver the program.

The group program runs over ten weeks. Groups will include eight students and their parent/s.

Between sessions children will be asked to practice skills at home and at school and parental encouragement is a proven contributor to success.

Would my child benefit from Cool Kids?

The Cool Kids program is being offered to children whose main struggle is with anxiety. Cool Kids covers a broad range of fears and worries including:

Social fears: Kids who are shy and who worry about what others think of them. They avoid social situations, performing and often have difficulty making friends.

Specific fears: Fears of particular objects or situations like dogs, heights or water. The fear is so bad that they avoid situations where they might come across that fear.

Generalised anxiety: These kids are worriers. They worry about many different areas including schoolwork, competition, family, and anything new. They ask for reassurance and may feel sick, get headaches or have trouble sleeping.

Separation fears. Kids who worry that something bad will happen when separated from mum or dad. They often refuse to separate e.g. won’t go to school, sleep over at friends’ houses, or be left at home with a sitter.

Cool Kids is not suitable for children whose main problem is low mood, aggression, hyperactivity, oppositional behavior or if they are autistic.

What else is involved?

For your child to participate in Cool Kids you will be asked to complete a brief assessment. This will gather information about the concerns that you have for your child and will also include questionnaires for yourself and your child about thoughts, feelings and behaviour. The assessment will be used to determine if your child is likely to find Cool Kids beneficial. Additionally, after the program is complete you would be asked to complete the same assessment a second time so that we can track your child’s progress.

How to nominate your child

If after reading this information you would like your child to be considered for the program, please complete and return the attached Cool Kids Expression of Interest.

What Should I do if I Have Questions?

If you would like to discuss Cool Kids and whether your child would benefit from the program please email Cool Kids facilitator, Donna Spillman at donna.spillman@mccg.org.au or text/call 0498 460 086