Welcome to Week 8. Last Friday we celebrated St Patrick's Day. The school was a flood of Green. Yesterday, we celebrated Harmony Day and wore orange to carry the message, We all belong. Please see photos of these events on the AP page. I would like to share this old Irish prayer and blessing that captures the essence of these two days.

Let us pray:

May your days be many and your troubles be few.

May all God’s blessings descend upon you.

May peace be within you, may your heart be strong.

May you find what you’re seeking wherever you roam.

May the strength of God pilot us, may the wisdom of God instruct us.

May the hand of God protect us, may the word of God direct us.

May thy Salvation, O Lord, be always ours this day and for evermore.

Amen.

Protocols around meeting_your child's teacher

If you have an issue that you need to discuss concerning your child, your child's classroom teacher is your first point of contact. Please make an appointment to see your child's classroom teacher. If you are unable to resolve your concerns, please contact either the Assistant Principal, Robyn Petty or Principal, Jo Flynn.

Peer Support

On Monday and Tuesday the Year 6 students received intense student leadership training in the peer support program. This program is a student-led multi-age program which provides a fun and engaging environment for students to address social issues. It encourages peer connections throughout the school and assists students in developing practical skills to enhance social and emotional well-being.

Peer support can help people develop problem-solving, decision-making, coping and stress management skills. Studies suggest that peer support is associated with improvements in mental health including greater happiness, self-esteem and effective coping, and reductions in depression, loneliness and anxiety.

If you have a student in Year 6, please take the time to talk to them about what they learned.

Soft drinks/Energy drinks at school

A gentle reminder please, only send water to school with your child . No energy drinks or other sugary drinks such as soft drinks are permitted at school.

Gates and Bells

You may have noticed that in the morning there is an extra bell. This bell rings at 8:53am. It is a warning bell to assist staff and students to arrive at our assembly for the start of the school day at 8:55am. Unfortunately, as I am often on gate duty in the morning and then need to be at assembly, it means the gate will be closed at 8:53. Students who arrive after the gate has been closed, simply enter the school through the main office. They are not late if they arrive before the 8:55 bell and do not require a late pass.

Curriculum Reform

Nothing is more important for our society than the quality of teaching and learning in our schools. Students must receive an education that provides them with a solid foundation for life – preparing young people to make a productive contribution to our society.

For these reasons, the NSW government has embarked on a rigorous reform agenda.

This is the first comprehensive reform of the NSW school curriculum in 3 decades.

After two consultation periods, the NSW Government response (PDF, 629 KB) to the Final Report of the Review was released. By mid-2020, the review was over and the reform started.

Reform recommendations will shape the new syllabuses, and identify priorities for the early, middle and later years of schooling:

building strong foundations for future learning by with new English and Mathematics syllabuses for Kindergarten to Year 2
more time for teaching by by reducing the hours teachers spend on extra-curricular topics and issues and compliance requirements
strengthening post school pathways with new learning areas for Years 11 and 12 that clearly link learning to future employment and study options
a new curriculum from with new syllabuses focused on what is essential to know and do in early and middle years of schooling, and key learning areas in the senior years.The following information details what new syllabuses are coming, and in what year your school will need to plan and prepare, or implement them.

Please note specific dates are indicative and subject to change.

Primary Kindergarten to Year 6

English K−2 Mathematics K−2

Year	Implementation phase
2021	Syllabus consultation and release
2022	Schools plan and prepare
2023	Taught in schools

English 3−6Mathematics 3−6Modern LanguagesClassical Languages Aboriginal Languages

Year	Implementation phase
2022	Syllabus consultation and release
2023	Schools plan and prepare
2024	Taught in schools

Auslan

Year	Implementation phase
2022	Syllabus consultation
2023	Syllabus release. Schools plan and prepare
2024	Taught in schools

Science and TechnologyPDHPEHSIECreative Arts

Year	Implementation phase
2023	Syllabus consultation and release
2024	Schools plan and prepare
2025	Taught in schools

Catherine McAuley Newsletter

Term 1, Week 8 · 22 Mar 2023

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