Newsletter 2nd August 2023
From the Principal
What a week we had last week to celebrate Catholic Education Week. From our whole school Mass, class workshops with Mrs Inskip from St Vincent de Paul and the annual Touch and Netball Carnival, it was a fantastic week of celebrations. I’d like to thank all of our staff for their ongoing commitment and dedication to Catholic Education and for always going above and beyond in their role as educators at St Monica’s.
A highlight of the week is our annual Grandparents morning. This event is particularly special to our students as they appreciate the opportunity to show their grandparents their classrooms, and join them in fun learning activities. Thank you to our grandparents who made the trip (many travelling great distances to come) to attend our day. It was wonderful to have you as part of our school for the morning. Well done to our Preps for leading such a prayerful and moving Liturgy dedicated to Grandparents.
Yesterday students in Year 3 & 5 received their individual NAPLAN reports for the tests they undertook in March this year. The front page of the student report provides general information about the tests and an explanation of how to read the report. The second and third pages show the student’s result in each assessment area. The results are classified into one of 4 proficiency levels:
Exceeding: the student’s result exceeds expectations at the time of testing.
Strong: the student’s result meets challenging but reasonable expectations at the time of testing.
Developing: the student’s result indicates that they are working towards expectations at the time of testing.
Needs additional support: the student’s result indicates that they are not achieving the learning outcomes expected at the time of testing and are likely to need additional support to progress satisfactorily.
The report shows the student’s achievement against the national average for their year (shown as a black dot) and the range of achievement for the middle 60% of students in their year level (shown as a light shaded rectangle). The final page of the report provides a brief summary of the skills typically demonstrated by students at each proficiency level.
These results help us shape our Teaching and Learning priorities for the rest of the year and into early 2024. Our year 3 & 5 students showed some strong results and improvement in our focus areas of Writing, Reading and Numeracy. Well done to all.
A final reminder to parents to please take the time to complete the “Shaping our Future” survey from the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office. As of today, we have achieved a 40% completion rate. I am hoping that we can push it to at least 70%. Thanks to all the families who have completed it so far.
The link to the survey was sent via email to school registered accounts. Parents can also access via the link and QR Code below.
https://peoplebenchdata.limesurvey.net/264413?lang=en
From the APRE
I-CAS Competitions Begin
A reminder that I-CAS Competitions begin next week. Please find below a list of the testing dates.
Monday 7th August: Digital Technologies
Wednesday 9th August: Writing
Monday 14th August: English
Wednesday 23rd August: Spelling and Science
Monday 28th August: Maths
QAMT Maths Competition
Next Tuesday, August 8th, nine students from Year 5 and 6 will be representing St Monica’s at the Queensland Association of Mathematics Competition at Centenary Heights State High School. The competition is designed to test students Mathematics knowledge and application, with a focus on speed, estimation, and problem solving. We wish all participants the very best for this event and know you will makes us all very proud.
Class Retreats.
This term, each of the classes will be participating in a class retreat based on the Benedictine values, which is the foundation of our Good Samaritan tradition. The first of these retreats occurred a fortnight ago with the Year Two class. Their focus was the value of self-discipline. The students participated in games, stories and reflections aimed to answer the question ‘How do we show persistence and do the right thing when no one is watching?’ The students all thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Next week, the Year 4/5 classes will be having their class retreat, focusing on the values of hospitality and community.
Family Mass
Our Term Three Parish Family Mass will be on Sunday the 13th of August at St Monica’s Catholic Church at 8am. It would be wonderful to see as many families as possible join the school staff and parish community for prayer. We also invite all in attendance to join us for a complimentary morning tea afterwards in the Parish Hall. To assist with catering, forms were sent home today.
Term 3 Key Dates
Sunday 13th August – 8am Family Mass
Friday 18th August – Under 8s Day
Thursday 24th August – Book Week Parade
Friday 25th August – St Monica’s Feast Day Mass and St Monica’s Got Talent Competition
Thursday 31st August – Father’s Day Liturgy and P&F Father’s Day Stall
Friday 1st September – Consistency of Teacher Judgement (CTJ) Day/Student Free Day (no school)
Monday 4th September – School Renewal and Improvement Process (SRIP) begins.
Thursday 14th of September – End of Term Thanksgiving Mass and R U OK? Day
From the Classrooms
Prep
I would like to start by congratulating all of the students on the wonderful job they did on Grandparents Day! A lot of hard work and dedication goes into learning their speaking parts and the song. I was very proud of each and every one of them.
This fortnight in English we continue to explore Fairy Tales, with a special focus on their structure. We are continuing to work on our letter sound knowledge and decoding skills, which helps us with our writing and enables us to read texts. I cannot express the importance of practising sight words at home, daily practice has been proven to make a significant difference in reading, writing, and spelling.
In mathematics’ we are continuing to explore the language and processes of counting by naming numbers in sequences, to and from 20, moving from any starting point. We will continue to work on sequencing numbers, justifying their positions, and explaining our reasoning.
We are looking forward to another fortnight of learning and fun in Prep!
Year 1
This fortnight in the Year One classroom, we have been busy learning about Minibeasts in Science. We have discussed the features of living things and how they survive in their habitats. In English, we have been learning about the difference between a fact and an opinion and have begun sharing some facts about animals we have explored in class. A reminder that home readers will be changed on Friday and that library books are due back on Thursday.
Year 2
Year Two have been exploring persuasive texts in our English unit. We found many examples of persuasive texts such as posters, TV advertisements, cereal boxes and when sharing personal thoughts. Each of these examples gave us an insight into what makes a text persuasive. We are now beginning to apply some of these learnings into our writing and speaking tasks.
In Health lessons, students have been learning about the different emotions we experience and how to measure how strong these emotions are. We acted out scenarios and began to identify how we may react in that situation. Many students could identify that we all have different emotional responses to the same scenario which reminded us to be mindful of how we communicate with our classmates. We found this to be an insightful experience.
Year 3
Students had a wonderful time at Cobb and Co on Monday where they celebrated the history and culture of the First Australians with storytelling, hands on activities and demonstrations. As a reflection students will be creating an image using symbols that tell a story. For English students are working on developing their understanding of information texts and writing using red, white, and blue sentences. During Mathematics students are developing their understanding of time using digital and analogue clocks.
A reminder Year 3 are presenting at Assembly this Friday, the children would love to see their parents attend.
Year 4/5 AQ
I can’t believe we are already in Week 4!
Last week students participated in a number of Catholic Education Week activities and a big shout out goes to our talented Year 5 netballers and touch footy players! Well done on representing St Monica’s with pride, I am so proud of you!
In class, students have been actively engaged in our Australian Goldrush Unit. We are learning the techniques used by the diggers and have started writing our own procedures on how to pan for gold. In Science, we continue our unit on the changing of matter. We will be conducting a fun experiment in the upcoming week and students will have the opportunity to make jelly, exploring the transformation and understanding of how matter changes its state under different conditions.
We are thrilled to announce that all of 4/5 will be participating in our first Religion Retreat next Friday at school. This day promises to be filled with reflection, spiritual growth, and meaningful discussions. Please remember to return the Wonder notes so that students can enjoy the movie experience at the end of the retreat.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We look forward to another rewarding and productive two weeks ahead.
Wishing you all a fantastic week!
Year 4/5 B
What an awesome week we had last week for Catholic Education Week. It was wonderful to be able to welcome so many Grandparents into our classroom to share in some special activities with our students. Congratulations to our Year 5s on their participation in the Catholic Netball and Touch Carnivals and well done to the Year 4s for their hard work and excellent behaviour with Mrs Malone and Mrs Ah Quay.
In HASS, the students are enjoying learning about the Gold Rush, while in Science, they are exploring liquids, solids and gases. Wednesday is our Library borrowing day so please ensure students return their Library bag and books each week.
Have a great week!
Year 4/5 M
Welcome to Week 4!
Last week was Catholic Education Week and we had a great week! It was wonderful to see so many grandparents at Grandparents Day and listen to their interesting stories. The Year 5 students participated in the Catholic Touch and Netball Carnival and were fabulous school representatives. Next week we will be participating in a Retreat delving into the Benedictine Value of Hospitality and take some time to reflect on how we can demonstrate these values in our lives. We continue to work hard in 4/5M and are humming along beautifully. Thank you to the parents that have completed the school survey. If you haven’t yet, please ensure that you do and have the opportunity to have your voice heard in the future direction of St Monica’s.
Have a great week!
Year 6
The Year 6 students enjoyed the many opportunities to extend themselves over the last couple of weeks within the various sporting, academic and cultural activities that have taken place particularly as part of Catholic Education Week. It was fantastic to see the students representing our school at the Touch and Netball carnival last Thursday. They should all be proud of the growth and determination that they displayed throughout the day.
From the Library
From Music
St Monica’s Got Talent (SMGT) grand final is only a few weeks away! Parents are welcome and encouraged to join us on Friday 25th August at 1:30pm in the school hall for the third annual SMGT show. This year’s SMGT will include a non-competitive section which will showcase performances from our Verse Speakers & Ukulele Club. The competitive section will be individuals/groups whose audition demonstrated confidence, audience appeal and a polished performance.
It has been wonderful to have so many nominations this year and this has raised over $100 for the year 5/6 camp.
Mini Monnie's Playgroup
Be Well at St Monica's
How can you help your child flourish?
Raising children can be one of the toughest, but most fulfilling jobs in the world. We all want our children to flourish because that means they will be happy and joyful, curious and eager to learn without feeling stressed, connected with their peers, empathetic, creative, confident, good team players, resilient and positive, and have a healthy self-esteem. How can you help your child to flourish and perform to the best of their ability at school?
Sleep - Poor or inadequate sleep can lead to mood swings, behavioral problems and cognitive problems that impact on the ability to learn in school, so the Department of Health recommends an uninterrupted 9 to 11 hours of sleep per night for those aged 5–13 years. Some sleep tips for school-aged children include: teach school-aged children about healthy sleep habits, continue to emphasise need for regular and consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine, make your child's bedroom conducive to sleep – dark, cool and quiet, keep TV and computers out of the bedroom and avoid caffeine.
Diet - It is important that we provide our children with a healthy diet, including school lunches, as poor nutrition has been associated with a number of physical and mental issues including: chronic health problems, tooth decay, obesity, poor sleep, lack of concentration, low energy levels and poor academic performance. School lunches need to be high in nutrients and should include items such as: fresh fruit, sandwiches or wraps, crunchy vegetables, lean meats, dairy - such as cheese or plain/natural yoghurt, home-made fruit muffins and water. Processed and pre-packaged snacks should be limited as they are high in sugar and salt and have very few nutrients.
Exercise - Being physically active is good for children and adolescent health and creates opportunities for making new friends and developing physical and social skills. There is a profound impact on mood, cognitive behaviour, energy levels and self-esteem. For optimal health benefits, children and young people (aged 5–17 years) should achieve the recommended balance of high levels of physical activity, low levels of sedentary behaviour and limited recreational screen time each day.
Develop Independence - By allowing your child to pack and carry their own bag to school, you are teaching them about responsibility, independence and self-regulation. They will learn to spend each day prioritising what they do and don’t need to bring with them.
Take care of their emotional health - Everyone speaks of happiness as the ultimate goal, but humans were designed to endure all emotions; happiness, sadness, guilt, anger. We have all these emotions within us, and more, and in a normal, healthy human, all are acceptable within reason. In order for your child to regulate these emotions, healthy discussion and an open channel of communication between parents and child are crucial.
Focus on their strengths - They are your children, but they are their own person and they are born with their own sets of strengths and weaknesses. Let go of the weakness and focus on their strengths. Try to figure out what is it that your child is exceptionally good at and help them develop their skills.
In challenging times, help is just a phone call away! Who can you call 24/7?
Lifeline 131114, Kids Help Line 1800 551800, Beyond Blue 1300 224636
Uniforms
Research has shown that one of the real advantages of an education at a Catholic School is that a special and unique pride is developed. One significant way to foster such pride is the enforcement of strict uniform guidelines. All children are expected to wear the school uniform as listed below:
School Uniform - Years 1 to 6
Girls – Formal - Monday, Tuesday & Thursday
- St Monica’s School Dress Uniform
- Dress: Pattern, Sutton no 346(B)
- Dress: Fabric, Check 8021
- Collar: Cesarella 1301, Zip: Birch 265 Bottle Green
- St Monica’s School green school hat
- Short white socks – (no ankle socks)
- All black shoes – may be leather or jogger.
Girls – Sports - Wednesday and Friday
- St Monica’s School Sports Shirt Yr.1 to Yr.5
- St Monica’s School Leader Shirt Year 6
- St Monica’s School Navy Blue Skort
- St Monica’s School green school hat
- Short white socks
- White sandshoes/joggers
Winter Variation
- As Above
- St Monica’s School Bottle Green Fleecy Pullover with embroidered crest
- Green fleecy track pants with sports uniform only.
- Navy Blue Tights (optional)
- School track top with embroidered crest (optional)
Boys – Formal - Monday, Tuesday & Thursday
- St Monica’s School Dress Shirt with tartan collar
- Shirt: Pattern, Simplicity 5581
- Fabric: Bottle Green Poplin 8021
- Shorts: Navy Blue Long Shorts (Ruggers)
- St Monica’s School green school hat (Slouch hat style)
- Short navy-blue socks – (no ankle socks)
- All black shoes – May be leather or jogger.
Boys – Sports - Wednesday & Friday
- St Monica’s School Sports Shirt Yr. 1 to Yr. 5
- St Monica’s School Leader Shirt Year 6
- St Monica’s School Navy Blue Shorts (Stubbies)
- St Monica’s School Green School Hat
- Short white socks
- White sandshoes/joggers
Winter Variation
As Above
- St Monica’s school Bottle Green Fleecy pullover with embroidered crest
- Green fleecy track pants with sports uniform only.
- Long navy-blue pants - Ruggers – Formal uniform (optional)
- School Track top with embroidered crest (optional)
The uniform including the special school hat is available locally at Oakey Craft and Saddlery. If you are buying parts of the uniform elsewhere, please check that you are buying the correct style, colour, and material. It is expected that the correct and clean school uniform will be worn at all times. A school uniform can help instil in the students a sense of pride and identity. It also signifies unity and equality.
Prep students wear the sports uniform 5 days per week – Monday to Friday
All Students
Hair: Collar length hair or longer must be tied back with a green band or green ribbon. Natural hair colour is expected. Rat’s tails and tracks are not permitted.
Earrings: Girls: Sleepers and plain studs are the only acceptable earrings.
Boys: No earrings.
Other: Clearly mark all clothing with your child’s name.
NB: The school fleecy pullover must be worn first. The spray jacket may only be worn over the top of the pullover.
From the P&F
P & F Meetings
This Thursday the P&F have organised the 'Catholic Schools Parents Association' to visit our P & F. The meeting will start at 4pm and Charmaine from the Association will do a presentation outlining their role, purpose, and support of the P&F. As always, a very warm welcome to all our school community to attend. This will be held in the St Monica's Library at 4 pm, this Thursday 4th August.
2023 St Monica’s P&F Race Day
Tickets will go on sale this Saturday 5th August! Please be aware, due to the size of the venue and bus, there is only limited capacity thus limited tickets!
If you wish to purchase tickets please do so ASAP when tickets are released, there will be a post on the school FB page with the direct link & QR code.
- Race Day Event Saturday 7th October 4-11pm, Clifford Park Race Course Twmba
- Bus Tickets for transfer to and from St Monica's to Clifford Park available for purchase through the ticket site
- Raffle tickets will be released this week, there will be two tickets per student, which will go home with students
Tuckshop
A big thank you to the following volunteers for their help in the tuckshop,
Week 4- Olesia Bach & Fiona Martin
Week 5- Amanda Scheuerle & Rebekah Williams
If you would like to volunteer or support the tuckshop in any way, please reach out to Kylie at oakpandf@twb.catholic.edu.au or see Lyndell in the office.
Pie Drive
All Pie Drive orders are due back today, Wednesday 2 August. Please ensure you bring the correct cash with the order or transfer to the P&F account as per the details on the bottom of the order form. The Pie Drive is through our local bakery, Great Country Pies and it is a great fundraiser for the P&F with your support.
Oakey Eats
Oakey Eats is on again on Friday 25th August starting at 5pm. Following the great success of the first Oakey Eats, the P&F will hold a desserts stall at the event to be held at the local skate park. If you can help or support in any way please contact us via oakpandf@twb.catholic.edu.au or see Lyndell or a P&F member.
Fathers Day Stall
The P&F will again hold a Fathers Day Stall, if you would like to be involved please get in touch via our email address oakpandf@twb.catholic.edu.au
Clothing Pool
Please send Tricia Brownsey a text on 0408 675 945 and she will be able to let you know if what you require is available. Tricia is also happ to package up orders and leave them in the school office.
Please only text Tricia, as she has work commitments.
Outside School Hours Care
