Dear Parents and Guardians,

It is with great joy and satisfaction that I see the students settle back into school with new teachers and new classes.  Some struggle with change and this is a big thing for them.  Yet, with support from both you, their teacher and sometimes other staff, things settle in most cases quickly and then the focus goes back on the learning, where it should be.

I am reminded frequently, the impact that teachers have in the lives of young ones.  Just the other day I had one of the students come up to me and ask me if I had worn the tie he gave for me as a christmas gift at the end of last year?  I made sure I wore  it because I knew he would notice.  It was very special because it actually had my name on it as well.  I told him that my name had come off but it was still very special and I would be wearing it each week.  He was horrified that my name had come off and let his mum know.  We are now in the process of fixing it.

Now, whilst this is not really an issue for me in any way, for this student it was and I needed to allow him to fix it!  This was simply because the message he shared with me through the tie is that I am important to him and as there was a problem with the tie, his message to me through the tie was not the same.  So we had to fix it!  There is so much that is said without words and it is important that the teachers are able to read the unspoken as well.  This is why your child’s relationship with their teacher is just as important as the capacity of the teacher to teach the content.  Learning is not just the imparting of knowledge, it is also relational.

I am reminded of this all the time.  I had a teacher bump into me at a meeting last year, she introduced herself and proceeded to tell me that I was her Year 6 teacher at St Paul’s thirty years ago.  She said that I was very strict and she was worried all holidays about being in my class.  She then thanked me for spending the time with her to explain long division (something we don’t teach now) because she said that I never gave up and persisted until she understood.  I must admit, I never knew the impact something very minor had on this student, so much so, that she had to share this with me thirty years later.

I pray that your child has a similar experience many times over this year with their teacher and that you have the blessed opportunity to hear them share it with you.

Why am I telling you this?  There is a student in our school who needs to see me wear a red tie.  Unfortunately, I won’t be teaching in thirty years time, but I might bump into him and be able to tell him that I still have the tie.  Even if it is marked, worn and dirty, there is no way I’d throw that tie out!

 Just thought I’d share this experience with you as it was so special.

Go Gently,

Michael Reardon
Principal

Parent Information Night

This meeting will be held this Thursday night.  The first rotation will begin from 6:30pm.  There will be three rotations of twenty minutes each (6:30pm, 7:00pm, 7:30pm). You can choose when to come as there will be three sessions repeated with exactly the same content.  If you have one child, then you would only need to go to one session.  Hopefully this is more flexible for you and makes this experience more worthwhile.  There will also be a representative from the Commonwealth Bank in the school hall who will be available to parents to discuss the setting up of school banking for your child should you wish.

Areas to be covered will include:

• How to communicate with my child’s teacher
• Home reading
• Sport and PE days
• Classroom rules and expectations
• SPB4L
• Class Parent Representatives

Class Parent Representative  

The class parent representative will be a new role that we are seeking to implement this year.

The class parent representative will be finalised for each class at the Parent information evening where each grade will talk about the role and seek nominations from each class.

The purpose of implementing the class parent representative role is to improve communication with parents in the school for school events and to provide pastoral support at the request of the Principal.

 The role of the Class Parent Representative (CPR) will enable the school to share the work and planning from parents further afield.  There will be one parent selected from each class.  Therefore, each grade will have three CPR’s.  Each grade will only be involved in one or two events a year.

The role involves;

 The CPR Team from each grade coordinating a school community based initiative.

• The CPR needs to have a Working with Children Check and have completed the Parent Orientation Program
• Some before or after school meetings with the Principal or the P&F members when necessary (But will be minimal).
• Organising through the school, a permission note for contact numbers and email address with individual parents of that class, as the main method of communication is through group text and email.
• Assisting with school events through interaction with the P&F Executive and Principal in order to build community.
• Supporting the school in community events and is not a platform for voicing individual concerns.
• Working with the delegated P&F members on grade specific events.
• Liaising with the P&F in consultation with the Principal.
• Coordinating wellbeing initiatives as they arise in that particular class eg; provide meals for families in crisis.
• An element of discretion
• Coordinating and supporting other grade specific initiatives as they arise in consultation with the Principal.
• A P&F member is not able to be allocated this role as they already have responsibilities on the P&F Committee.

Illness at school
The school has had a large number of sick children come through sick bay who have needed to go home last week. It is the schools duty of care to all students to send unfit students home. It is important that parents keep sick children at home until they fully recover. This helps to prevent the spread of illness throughout the school.

Student Messages
When students afternoon travel arrangements unexpectedly change and you need to get a message to your child, you MUST make contact with the school office via telephone call before 2:45pm. Unfortunately any messages received  after this time cannot be guaranteed delivery.

Bullying is never ok. It’s hurtful and can impact someone for a long time.

Bullying is defined as a form of repeated, persistent and aggressive behaviour directed at one or more people that is meant to cause fear and distress/harm to another person’s body, feelings, self esteem, reputation.

 What is bullying?

It's more than just a fight or disliking someone.

• It’s being mean to someone over and over again
• Bullying is when someone or a group of people who have more power than you repeatedly use words or actions to hurt you
• Bullying can happen anywhere – at home, with friends, online, at school or on the bus

P and F update February 2019

Welcome to new parents and carers at the school and welcome back to others!

What would you like to know, how might you help?

• Why not come to a P and F meeting? Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of every month during school terms, in the Heritage Hall at 7.00 pm. Perhaps, send an item that you want to raise to our email box by Friday the week before the meeting (link is at bottom of this article)?

Key matters from the February meeting:

• No key decisions just matters in progress as reflected by budget items below e.g. pop-up gazebos, cross, sandpit, portable waterproof Bluetooth speakers, school banking, winter pants for girls, preparation for coming events.
• School proposals discussed at meeting including:
• Parent reps for each class with reps for each grade being tasked to help with a P and F event
• Alternative approach to early term “meet and greet”
• Revision of School’s mission statement to engage parents and carers via a “Listening Assembly”

More about these points will be communicated directly to parents and carers by the school as the year progresses.

What fundraising is targeting for the year (beginning October 2018):

Annual General Meeting Wednesday, 6 March 2019 7.00pm followed by general meeting (usually 7.30 pm)

• The P and F is governed by a constitution and has executive positions which become vacant each year i.e. the positions of President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary will need to be filled at the AGM. Please consider if you would like to contribute to the school community by filling one of these roles. More information will made available via the SkoolBag App soon or you can contact the current executive via the P and F email link below at any time.

Check-out the school community business directory – click on the Parents and Friends tab on the school website:

http://www.spcdow.catholic.edu.au/

Contact the P and F:

pandfstpaulscamden@gmail.com