Dear Families,

We had a terrific week last week and it was wonderful to see the students settle in so quickly. Many of you may be aware now that at the beginning of each term, all classes have an orientation week. Teachers still teach their regular programs. However there is an explicit focus on our school’s expectations and the practising of routines. We find that this helps students to settle back into school quickly and easily after a break.

Many of the changes we have made over the past year are focused on reducing cognitive load by practising routines. Cognitive load is teacher talk for the things our brain has to consciously think about. We liken this to when we first learn to drive. When we first get into a car we have to consciously think about everything, where the brake is, the blinkers, the accelerator, the clutch! It can all be a little overwhelming and causes a lot of stress. But once we become used to where everything is and practise driving for a while, everything begins to become automatic and we become less stressed when driving. The routines we introduce at school are much like this. After a little practice, students can do them without thinking - they become automatic, which reduces cognitive load and stress. One of these routines is the use of the same song at the end of every break. We know it gets a little boring and not everyone likes the song, but within the first few weeks of school, everyone knows the song, they know how long it goes for and at what point they could be getting to lines so they are there before the song ends. While not everybody loves it, the use of the same song reduces cognitive load.

I will be away from school from midday today and return on Friday morning as I am part of the registration panel for St Anthony’s Primary, Wanniassa. Every five years, Catholic Schools undergo a review for registration. It is customary for a peer principal whose school will undergo registration the following year to be part of this registration panel. Being part of the panel will give me an opportunity to learn about the process and also to see what other schools in our system are doing. Carmen Myles will be acting principal in my absence.

God Bless

 
Leah Taylor
Principal

On June 10, eight of our Year 5 and 6 students participated in the da Vinci Decathlon.  This competition involved the students (Grace J, Annie W-S, Alexis D, Liam P, Ruben D, Annie L, Ashleigh H and Liam McC) working together to answer very challenging questions and completing tasks in the following areas: Art/Poetry, Engineering, Creative Producers, Code Breaking, Cartography, English, Ideation, Legacy, Maths and Science.  Usually, this competition is run at Canberra Grammar School but this year it was virtual, with our students working diligently and cooperatively all day, engaging with the coordinator, and viewing their competing schools, via zoom.  They were supervised by one of our Diverse Learning Teachers, Deborah Griffin, who was so proud to see the way they supported one another, utilised each other's strengths and showed great persistence in solving and completing as many of the challenging questions and tasks as they could.  This resulted in a very impressive 5th placement out of 11 teams in the Year 6 competition.    They scored particularly well in the Art/Poetry, Creative Producers, and Ideation categories.  This is a great result considering this is the first time they have entered the competition and only had a very short preparation time, leading up to the day.  The students will all be presented with certificates for their participation, once they have arrived.

Please note that the first fete meeting will be Wednesday Week 4 (4/8/2021) at 6pm in the library - all welcome!

Online orders for Issue 5 due by 28 July 2021

Scholastic Book Club Order Forms have been sent home today.

No cash orders will be accepted at the Front Office for Scholastic Book Club.

The school will still get credits and the books will still be delivered to school for us to distribute, unless parents have requested they be delivered to their home.

Please download the INLOOP App
on your device or order from the online website.

https://mybookclubs.scholastic.com.au/Parent/Login.aspx

 Any questions please contact me via email ksligar@bigpond.net.au

• Building Fund Statements
  Building Fund Statements for tax purposes have been sent last week, via your normal invoice channels. 
  
• School Fees for Term 3
  School Fees for Term 3 will be sent out in by the end of Week 2 and will be due on Friday, 20 August 2021. 

• COMPASS Kiosk
  Please note that our Compass Kiosk has been installed.  This requires all parents/carers to sign their child/ren IN/OUT/LATE.

Please note that all students are required to be at school by 9am each day.  If you drop your child/ren off after 9am, please enter the Front Office to sign your child/ren in.  

Parents who have dropped their children off after 9am, and not signed their child/ren in late, will be asked to return to school to sign-in their child/ren via the Compass Kiosk at the Front Office.  This is a CE compliance requirement.

• Absentee Notifications
  Whilst we await the introduction of the Compass Parent Portal, it is preferable that Absentee Notifications be advised electronically as they are now required to be attached electronically.  Notifications can be sent via:

• • SZapp portal - Choose Absentee - see menu below.  Instructions on how to install SZapp can be found here.
  • Email the teacher
  • Email the office via office.staquinas@cg.catholic.edu.au

Thank you for your co-operation.

• Enter the School via the Front Office Only
  For the safety of students and staff, all parents/carers/visitors must enter the school via the Front Office only.  Please do not enter the school via any other door, even if it is for a short period of time to talk to a teacher, check lost property etc.  Our COVID requirements also require all visitors to the school to register with the Front Office and to Check In CBR App.
  
  
• Arranging Meetings with Teachers
  Just a reminder that if you wish to speak/meet with your child's teacher, please pre-arrange a time with the teacher via email as teachers often have meetings and professional development before/after school.

In this current climate, no child is to attend school if they are showing any cold or
flu-like symptoms. They must remain at home, and stay away from school, until they are no longer showing symptoms or have attended a GP who has instructed that they are fit and safe to return.  If you child has vomiting or diarrhoea, please do not send them to school for at least 24 hours after the symptoms have ceased. 

As a school community we all understand the difficulties of having a sick child, but please do not send your child to school if they are ill or if they have not fully recovered from an illness.  Keeping a child at home, when they are not well, not only helps them recover more quickly with rest, but it also prevents the spread of illnesses in the school community.

Also, if contacted by the school, please pick up your child up as quickly as possible in order to reduce stress for your child.

• Single-use plastics banned in the ACT
  Changes to single-use plastics in the ACT are officially on the way. From 1 July 2021, the ACT will become the second Australian jurisdiction to commence a ban on the sale and supply of selected single-use plastic items including: 

  • Single-use plastic cutlery 
  • Single-use plastic drink stirrers 
  • Expanded polystyrene takeaway food and beverage containers.

  Please ensure your child/ren have drink bottles and utensils for eating yoghurt, soups etc.

Dear Families

The Music Bus conducts weekly instrumental lessons at our school.  The Music Bus is a one-stop music education experience with a high-tech, mobile music classroom with highly-trained teachers offering additional music lessons to our students. This is a great opportunity to get your child started on a musical instrument in a fun and engaging way.

They have places available for term 3 and are seeking new students to join the program.

Please see the attached brochure for the Music Bus.

Please read the attached flier and either scan the QR code on the flier or Click here to register your interest 

Don't miss the bus!

Fiona Sutton
CEO

P: 1300 168 742
E: fiona.sutton@themusicbus.com.au
W: www.themusicbus.com.au

Community News is located on our website.

JULY 2021
Congratulations to the following students who will be celebrating their birthday this month:

Amelia S;  Isla McG;  Abel W;  Sophie C;  Ruhaab J;  Leo W;  Milenna P;  Grace C;  Marlenna K;  Alexis J;  Oliver F;  Abigail S;  Marko CC;  Lukas M;  Natalia O;  Daniel A;  Athena Wh;  Romeo CC;  Hannah M;  Ruby T;  Noel G-T;  Ajah A;  Aiden C;  Levi T;  Addyson W;  Chloe B;  Mila M;  Sebastian M;  Tazmyn L;  Samuel S;  Thomas B;  Stefford R;  Layla L;  Eathan C