Dear Parents/Carers,                                                                        

As a follow on from the previous newsletter I thought I might share with you the “real” impact students' absence is having on the learning at St Paul’s. We have been currently plotting student progress and aligning it to the number of days each student has been absent from school.  This has amplified significantly since COVID where in 2021 the students had 13 weeks of lockdown and an additional 4 weeks absence from school on average and therefore, 17 weeks out of a possible 40 weeks absent from school.  We know this has had the greatest impact on the infants grades and our grade 3 national testing data reflects this.  It has been a challenge to turn this around for some students and families as we are now impacted by heightened wellbeing matters for many of the students.

The table below outlines a summary for each grades’ data linking student absence to where a student sits in the following four groupings in literacy and numeracy:

Red - Students needing significant support

Yellow - Students potentially at risk

Green - Students at grade expectations

Blue - Students operating above grade expectations

Based on students' assessments, teachers were asked to group their class into the four above areas. Individual student absence for terms 1 and 2 (semester 1) were then directly compared to this.

FINDINGS FROM ENGLISH TEAM

A lack of school attendance can have a significant impact on student performance for several reasons. Firstly, by attending school regularly we provide students with valuable support with their learning such as access to small group instruction. Missing out on these resources can hinder the understanding and mastery of concepts taught in these settings.

Additionally, school attendance promotes a structured learning environment that encourages active participation, engagement and student well being. Consequently, a lack of school attendance can disrupt these crucial foundations for academic success, potentially leading to lower performance and achievement levels.

FINDINGS FROM MATHS TEAM

The above summaries are deeply concerning. The Diocesan target for attendance is 95%. This means that for the whole year a student can be absent ten days, about the equivalent adults in the workplace receive. Our data only for the first half of the year indicates that grade averages are tracking well beyond that level in many cases. In addition to this, the students who need the support most, are missing out on their intervention support which comes at a huge progress cost to the student and a significant waste in financial resources.

If we don’t turn this around by ensuring the students are at school and not away for holidays outside of school holidays, birthdays, family events, marriages etc the school cannot maximise its impact on lifting the performance of the students.

Unfortunately, this is largely on your shoulders, as the parent, and it is coming at a cost to the child, our national testing data and our data summaries above validate this.

Finally I wish to also acknowledge that the above figures are average figures and many children are averaging below the diocesan target of no more than ten days for the year absent. That being the case, the concerning thing is that they are the ones who mask how concerning the data is for many individual children.

Principal Awards

Congratulations to the following students who have recently received a Principal Award. 

Sophie Vella, Christian Cunningham, Uliana Krizmanic, Archer Linden, Sophia Smith, Corbin Graham, Sophie Puckrin, Beth McAllister, Monique Spinks, Lorena Brescia, Lucas Rota, Emily Croke, Michaela Togias, Paisley Howman, Hartley Ivicevic, Ari Gauci, Layla Green, Anthony Macri.

Fortnightly Target for PB4L

At St Paul’s I will wait for my turn to speak. ‘Stop, Think, then Choose what to do.’

Waiting for a turn to speak is a vital life skill that teaches self-control, patience, and empathy. It helps children understand the concept of fairness and the importance of considering the needs and feelings of others. In the classroom, learning to wait for their turn fosters a positive learning environment, promotes cooperation, and reduces conflicts among students.

Teaching children the importance of waiting for their turn also helps develop other essential social-emotional skills, such as:

• Empathy: Understanding and considering the feelings of others.
• Active Listening: Paying attention to others when they speak and showing respect for their ideas.
• Cooperation: Working together with others to achieve a common goal.
• Conflict Resolution: Addressing and resolving disagreements in a respectful and constructive manner.

When people have a conversation, it is like a game of tennis.  While one person is talking, the other is listening and receiving this information.  Then, it is the other person’s turn to talk.  Just like in tennis, one person hits the ball and the other waits to receive it.

It is important to wait your turn to talk so that you can:

• Listen to what is being said.
• Understand what is being said
• Think about what your response to their comment or question should be.

If you talk while another person is talking, the following things may happen:

• Neither of you will be able to hear what anyone is saying
• It may be difficult to follow the conversation
• The people you are walking with will think you are rude.

Students are being encouraged to use our whole school strategy when someone else is speaking.  When someone is speaking it is important that students stop and think about what is being said, in order to decide on what needs to be said as a response to someone else’s comment or question.

At St Paul’s we offer the following opportunities for selected students to participate in; 

• Quiet Play
• Creative Corner

Quiet play is available during break 2 every day for both infants and primary students. It is an opportunity for selected students to enjoy their break with a friend inside the school hall. Quiet play is always optional. This provides children with a space that is not as loud or as busy as the playground. The students are provided with things they can play with (for example, dress ups and games) and are supervised by a School Support Officer (SSO). Quiet play presents opportunities for contemplation, connection to self and rejuvenation before returning to the classroom, ready to learn. 

Creative Corner is a time where selected students have the opportunity to engage in arts and crafts away from the playground during break times. These students often need a release from the busyness of the playground and classroom to express themselves through creativity. Activities are designed so that students can experiment with different mediums that tap into their imagination where they can release their thoughts through arts and crafts. Creative Corner is facilitated by our Diverse Learning teachers and is an optional experience for the students to attend.

Western Region Athletics 

On Friday, August 3 2023, thirty students proudly represented St Paul's at the Western Region Athletics Carnival. We achieved fantastic results throughout the day, with fifteen students and two relay teams qualifying for the Wollongong Diocesan Selection Trials on Tuesday, 15 August 2023. 

Congratulations to the following students for their age-champion results

3rd - Lucas - Senior Boys 

6th - Lola - 11 years Girls

5th - Layla - Junior Girls

Our School placed 5th in Overall School Championships.

Congratulations to Zoey (Year 5) and her team Southern Spirit who represented Australia in the World Gymnaestrada in Amsterdam in August, for Performance Gymnastics. In the final photo you will see Zoey at the very top.

Zoeys team not only performed at the World Gymnaestrada but were also invited to perform at the FIG Gala which was an amazing opportunity and a great honour.

September P&F Meeting

This months P&F Meeting will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, 6 September 2023 at 7pm in the school hall.  All are welcome to attend. If you would like to raise anything, you can send an email to pandfstpaulscamden@gmail.com

The agenda for the meeting is attached.

Canteen Caper Day