From the Assistant Principal

Dear Parents,

Thanks for another great term. It certainly has been a busy one. Over the past three weeks, students from K-5 have participated in our swimming programs. It was very enjoyable to see students listening carefully to the instructors and fully participating in those lessons. We live in a country where many families spend a considerable amount of time near the water. These lessons help students learn how to stay safe near the water and the skills to become competent swimmers. 

A few reminders as we finish the term:

TURNING CIRCLE - Please remind all family members who collect students  during afternoon turning circle that our traffic agreement with Sutherland council stipulates NO RIGHT TURN into Flora St as this holds up traffic flow. Vehicles should only enter the turning circle from the eastern direction along Flora St. Turning in from the west or coming straight across from the library end of Belmont St is not permitted.

ILLNESS- As we change seasons and days can be hot and cold, it is advisable to keep children at home if they are sick in the morning before school. Of late, a number of children have come to school already sick and have had to be collected not long after the bell for the start of our day. This will help keep illness to a minimum.

THERAPY DURING SCHOOL TIME - We are currently reviewing our processes for engaging external therapists to access the school site for speech and OT etc. Due to the increased 2025 enrolment numbers at St Patrick's Catholic Primary School we are experiencing difficulties providing appropriate spaces with adequate supervision for this to occur. 

We will inform the school community the best way forward in Term 4 so that parents can plan for 2025.

STRANGER DANGER

The holidays are a perfect time to remind students of the importance of being safe when out and about. Many of our students walk home by themsleves or catch buses and public trains in the mornings or afternoon. These posters might be helpful in guiding any conversations with your children around stranger danger. 

MORNING CIRCLE AND ROUTINES

As a school community and in line with our Berry Street approach, we are trialling a slight change to our daily schedule in order to prioritise our Morning Circle Routine. Currently our morning circles happen each day, but some classes do not have the opportunity to participate in the morning circle at the start of the day because that class might have sport, music or art etc. To prioritise this important morning routine we are adjusting or whole school timetable so that the first 10 minutes from 8:50-9:00 will be dedicated to our morning circle. 

Here is some more information about the purpose of Morning Circles. 

The first 5 minutes of class are critical for setting the tone for the rest of the learning. Consistent rhythms and routines, particularly ones that embed intentional positive micro-moments, are powerful healing interventions as they “help build confidence that positive events will occur and …flexibility when unexpected events are encountered” (Brunzell, 2016, p.76). Welcome circles – nurturing routines that support engagement in learning and wellbeing (Roffey, 2006) – are a key strategy for consistently embedding strengths and also tending to the body and relational connection.

Circles, when embedded as a consistent and predictable routine, are an effective way to facilitate micromoments of attunement and connection between both adults and students, and amongst the students themselves. By supporting our young people to feel fully seen, heard and welcomed into a space, as well as facilitating the experience of positive emotions, we provide the foundation for healing – bodily regulation and relational safety – both critical for deep engagement in learning.

Brain breaks and movement breaks are incorporated into our daily lesson structure and will take place daily in respone to student needs, rather than a whole school break time. 

Jim Heelis

Assistant Principal