Week 7 Term 4 2021
Aboriginal Acknowledgement
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We commit ourselves to actively working alongside Aboriginal people for reconciliation and justice.
Dear Families,
Over the last two Terms we have had the privilege of meeting students and parents who will be joining our school community for the first time in our Kindergarten class of 2022. Unfortunately these interviews were held under Covid restrictions so our families did not get to see around out school. Over the past few Thursdays we had the absolute pleasure of welcoming our new Kindergarten students to St Carthage’s for their orientation visits. It is always wonderful to see their happy, smiling faces as they engage in the activities which the Kindergarten teachers have prepared for them. Thank you to our staff for their work in preparing for these visits. I have been reflecting on how lucky the children in our school are, to have such strong family support and parents who really take their roles seriously.
‘A Parent’s Prayer’ is shared as a tribute to parents who model the intentions of this prayer.
A Parent’s Prayer
Help me to understand my children, to listen patiently to what they have to say and to answer all of their questions kindly.
Keep me from interrupting them, talking back to them and contradicting them.
Give me courage to confess my sins against them and to ask of them forgiveness, when I know I have done them wrong.
May I not vainly hurt the feelings of my children.
Forbid that I should laugh at their mistakes or resort to shame and ridicule as punishment.
So guide me hour by hour that I may demonstrate by all I say and do, that goodness produces happiness.
Reduce, I say, the meanness in me.
May I cease to nag, and when I am out of sorts, help me, O Lord, to hold my tongue.
Blind me to the little errors of my children and help me to see the good things they do.
Give me a ready word of praise for honest effort.
Help me to treat my children as those of their own age, but let me not exact of them the judgments and conventions of adults.
Allow me not to rob them of the opportunity to wait upon themselves, to think, to choose and to make decisions.
Forbid that I should ever punish them for my selfish satisfaction.
May I grant them all of their wishes which are reasonable, and have the courage always to withhold a privilege which I know will do them harm.
Make me so fair and just, so considerate and so compassionate to them that they will have a genuine esteem for me.
Fit me to be loved and imitated by my children.
Amen.
I trust that we all take the time each day, to say thank you for the gift of our children.
Presentation Day
On Sunday 21st November, the Presentation Sisters around the world celebrate their Foundation Day, known as Presentation Day. Our school was founded by the Presentation Sisters 135 years ago so their history and involvement in our school, is an integral part of our history. Nano Nagle founded the sisters and we now have a Colour house named after her – Nagle House. Nano Nagle was born in 1718 in Ballygriffin in Ireland. She had 4 sisters and 2 brothers. Catholic Schools were not allowed so Nano attended a forbidden ‘hedge’ school. When Nano was 12 she was smuggled to France for the education forbidden in Ireland. She was well educated, talented and enjoyed the life in France but she decided to return to Ireland and teach the poor children. Nano found that this was not possible as the strict laws had not changed. She returned to France in order to become a religious sister and to be able to pray for her Irish people. Nano could not settle to this and knew that she had something important to do. She returned once again to Ireland and lived in Cork with her brother Joseph where she secretly taught children. Soon there were 7 schools being taught by Nano and some other ladies. When she wasn’t teaching, Nano was visiting the sick, poor and lonely around Cork. When it was dark she carried a lantern and soon she was known as the “Lady of the Lantern”. At age 57, Nano Nagle founded the Order of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary – the Presentation Sisters. There were three ladies with her and she knew that a Religious Order was needed to carry on the work they were doing. She was a sick lady and on the 29th April 1784, she died. In 1886, a small group of sisters left Lucan in Ireland and came to Lismore to establish a Convent and schools. On 11th October 1886, St Carthage’s School was opened.
The students acknowledged this special day with a prayer for the Presentation Day Sisters.
May the Spirit of Nano Nagle and her Sisters who have been a part of our School’s history, continue to grow in each of us.
Semester Two Reports
As you are aware, due to the length of time our students were in lockdown, Semester Two reports will not contain an A-E grade. The student report cards will include a comment for English and Mathematics, and a General Comment. The General Comment will include a Religious Education comment.
Reports will be released to families on Friday, 10th December via the Compass app. If you haven’t already, it’s important that you download the app to access your child’s report. Please contact the office if you have any questions or concerns.
Some parents may not feel that an interview is required at this time and may prefer to wait and catch up with your child’s 2022 teacher during our Term One interviews next year. If you would like an interview, please contact your child’s teacher.
Staggered Start Dates for Best Start and Maths Assessment Interviews
28th January 2022- Staff Administration Day
31st January 2022- Staff Professional Learning Day
Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd February - MAI assessment for Years 1-6
Tuesday 1st-Monday 7th February- Kindergarten Best Start interviews
Children in Years 1-6 will begin school on Thursday, 3rd February.
Kindergarten students will begin school on Tuesday, 8th February.
All students in Lismore Diocesan Schools undergo a Maths Assessment Interview at the beginning of each year. These assessments give valuable data to school staff and enable teachers to plan to adequately meet the needs of all students in their class. These interviews are booked online. Further information on how to book your child/children's interviews can be found later in this Newsletter.
Mathematics Assessment Interview
At St Carthage’s we are always evaluating and reviewing the way in which we do things in the teaching and learning process, in order to make it more productive and engaging for all students. Over the last four years, we have conducted Mathematics Assessment Interviews (MAIs), with all our students from Kindergarten through to Year Six. We are continuing with these interviews next year in 2022.
The staff at St Carthage’s have continued to engage in professional learning in Mathematics based on the data, collected at the MAIs, in their Professional Learning Teams. This has strengthened our understanding and practices in the way children learn mathematical concepts and skills, in order to be able to meet their learning needs.
The information gathered as a result of the MAI is imperative in helping teachers understand how children learn, assessing where a child's understanding is at in order to plan teaching that meets the student's next 'point of need'. In addition to this, the data assists us in being able to identify children who are at risk in their learning — at risk of having gaps in their mathematical understanding which could impede their ability to develop appropriate number concepts and skills for continued learning.
During the MAI your child will be observed individually whilst completing a range of numeracy-based activities to determine their conceptual mathematical understandings in the areas of counting, place value, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division. This assessment provides rich information to guide ongoing mathematics planning for teaching and learning, allowing the teacher to ascertain what growth points your child is at in mathematics at the commencement of the new learning year. This valuable data on your child will be shared early Term One, when the school conducts its parent meetings.
We will endeavour to have the interview conducted by your child's teacher for 2022. The MAI is deliberately timed after the holidays as it measures their conceptual understanding or the learning which has been deeply embedded in your child. Those students who were at St Carthage’s in 2021 have data recorded, which will determine where they start the assessment and move them forward to where they demonstrate understanding. New students from K-6 will start at the beginning to record accurate data and move through to where they demonstrate understanding.
Mathematics Assessment Interview Bookings 2022
Bookings are now open for our Mathematics Assessment Interviews (MAI) for next year for our Year One to Year Six students. MAIs will take place on Tuesday 1st February and Wednesday 2nd February 2022. To make a booking go to https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/code/yvkbq
Follow the prompts to make your booking/s. Please remember to select the grade your child/ren will be in next year (2022).
Bookings must be finalised by Wednesday 8th December at 3pm.
We encourage students not only to learn about their faith but to 'take it to heart' and Act!
Service to others
We have been discussing the importance of not only teaching students about the teachings of Jesus and nurturing these teachings in their hearts, but also of ACTING in Service to others and our world.
We look forward to ensuring our teaching in Religious Education puts even greater emphasis upon looking for opportunities for students to ACT!
We saw a great example of SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY during this week when students decided, from their own hearts, to pick up papers from our quad area. Thank you to these students!
This Sunday commences the Season of Advent - a time of waiting and of HOPE
The Church Season of Advent commences this Sunday with the theme of HOPE. Advent is a season of preparation and expectant waiting for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. The keeping of an Advent wreath is a common practice where four candles, one for every Sunday of Advent, is lit. Each candle represents a different theme: hope, peace, joy, and love.
A questions we can ask ourselves...
- Looking back over this year, ask yourselves, "What does hope mean to me? My family?"
A questions we can ask our children...
- What is the difference between a wish and a hope? (hint: Where does your faith come into this?)
The last cohort of students who moved from Our Lady of Lourdes to St Carthage's are now in Year 6. They are the last students educated at Our Lady of Lourdes. Our Lady of Lourdes had a tradition of raising money for the Presentation Sisters in New Guinea and so our collection of a Gold Coin today goes to the same cause supporting the Sisters in New Guinea and continuing the dream and work of Nano Nagle.
Year 5 Leadership Retreat
Year 5 students thoroughly enjoyed their Leadership Retreat where ACTING AS LEADERS was a huge theme! "We are one Body" was part of the Scripture they discussed and we look forward to seeing these students working together (as one Body) and growing into their role as student leaders.
Thank you to the Year5 Teachers and support staff who provided such a wonderful experience for these students.
First Eucharist
First Eucharist for students at St Carthage's will be held on Sunday 5th December at 4:30pm in the Cathedral.
Families should have by now received additional information via Compass. Please confirm whether you will or won't be able to attend (for organisational purposes).
Dress Code: Smart casual
Consent: Required, due by Friday, 19 November 2021
COVID Guidelines: (Please read carefully)
- Please sign in and sanitise hands upon arrival.
- Masks must be worn by all people in attendance, including children.
- One pew will be allocated to each family.
- A maximum of 5 people per family (including the child receiving First Eucharist) is permitted.
St Vincent De Paul - Christmas Appeal (Service to those in need)
Our St Vincent de Paul Society Giving Tree has plenty of branches which means plenty of room for gifts from your family to the needy.
You can contribute by either:
1) Making a cash donation that will be converted to grocery only gift cards.
2) Purchase a Woolworths, Coles or IGA gift card that is exclusive to the grocery stores.
Monetary donations will be accepted at the office. Students are invited to place their gift cards on the Christmas tree located in the front office.
Feast Day of the Presentation of Mary
This Sunday is the Feast Day of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple. The Presentation Sisters, founders of our school, celebrate this day as their Order's Foundation Day. All classes will celebrate the example of Mary, the Presentation Sisters and Nano Nagle through prayer.
Thank you to Jesse Byrne (Yr 3 RED) who has been working very hard learning about story of the Annunciation.
One time ago an angel came to visit Mary. The angel told her “Hail Mary the Lord is with, soon you will have a son and you should call him Jesus.”
Jesse explained how Mary said 'YES" to God and we should also say 'Yes' - just like Nano Nagle and the Presentation Sisters. Thank you Jesse!
The last cohort of students who moved from Our Lady of Lourdes to St Carthage's are now in Year 6. They are the last students educated at Our Lady of Lourdes. Our Lady of Lourdes had a tradition of raising money for the Presentation Sisters in New Guinea and so our collection of a Gold Coin today goes to the same cause supporting the Sisters in New Guinea and continuing the dream and work of Nano Nagle.
Thanking you so much for your kind donations today allowing us to collect $710 to pass onto the Sisters.
(Thank you to Mr Whitney who does a wonderful job at ensuring all monies are accounted for and passed onto the Presentation Sisters.)