St Cecilia's Newsletter Week 2, Term 4

A word from the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers, 

As we embark on the journey into the final stretch of the school year, I extend a warm welcome back to each one of you, in particular our new families, the Pedder and Bull family. Term Four is upon us, and with it comes a whirlwind of excitement, joy and the culmination of a year filled with growth and learning. 

Get ready for a busy and festive term as we dive into a calendar brimming with religious, sporting, graduating and academic achievement events.  

All families are invited to our Andrew Chinn Christmas Concert, which will take place at 5:30pm on 5th of December and then Thursday 14th December our year 6 Pastoral T.E.A.M will deliver an Advent/Christmas prayer in the Assembly area at 8:45am. These Christmas celebrations are always a time for joy, unity, and spreading goodwill, and we always look forward to sharing these special moments with our school community. 

For our graduating students, they will celebrate their graduation on 29th November at 5pm and this term holds the promise of new beginnings and the thrill of achievement for over 7 years of primary schooling. We look forward to celebrating their accomplishments and sending them off with the best wishes for their future endeavours. It's a time of reflection, pride, and anticipation for the adventures that lie ahead for our year six cohort. 

Our end-of-year mass on 4th December at 9:30am in the hall will include the annual awards ceremony. This is always a moment of reflection and gratitude, where we come together as a community to appreciate the blessings of the past year and express our hopes for the future. It’s always a special and meaningful way to unite in faith and celebrate the values that make our school community so unique. 

In addition to all our ceremonies and celebrations, term four is packed with the excitement of all our summer sporting events. It begins this Friday with our selected stage 3 St Cecilia’s team representing our school at the Waratah Shield Cricket in the preliminary rounds. We wish them all the best. In the last week of school, stage two and stage three have their annual Surf Safety Days. For our youngest learners, swimming lessons for K-2 promise to bring about a splashing good time, fostering water confidence and safety in an environment of laughter and learning. The anticipation will be palpable as we gear up for the exhilarating Swimming Carnival, where friendly competition and school spirit create ripples of excitement at Mingara Swim Centre. Meanwhile, all children in grades 3-6 will engage in the cricket clinics that offer a chance to refine bowling, fielding and batting skills and discover the joy of teamwork. Lastly, for all of stage three they will have their Touch Gala days which always promise thrilling matches and unforgettable moments of athleticism and camaraderie. Summer sports are not just about physical activity; they're an integral part of creating well-rounded individuals who appreciate the values of teamwork, sportsmanship, and a healthy, active lifestyle.  

I look forward to seeing us all come together for the many events this term to create lasting memories, foster connections, and cherish the bonds that make our school family truly special. The journey of term four may be busy, but I have no doubt it will be filled with rich moments that will be etched in our hearts forever. 

Wishing you all a joyous and successful term four. Let's make it a time of togetherness, celebration, and shared accomplishments. 

Peace and Blessings 

 Marta Chylewska  

Staying Connected

FLIP Meeting #8 Postponed
Apologies but today's FLIP meeting has been cancelled and it will be moved to Wednesday 15th November 2023. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Please RSVP at the attached link if you can still join us for the new date for our final meeting of the year. https://forms.office.com/r/DrL0FAFNSe

Kindergarten Transition Sessions START NEXT WEEK! 
A reminder of transition dates to all our future 2024 Kindergarten children already enrolled. the children's first Kindy transition will take place this coming Wednesday 25th October from 9am - 10:30am in the hall and parents are all invited to stay for a social gathering in the multipurpose room. 

The second transition sesison will take place on November 1st from 9am - 10:30am and parents are asked to stay in the hall for an information session. 

The third session on 8th November at 9am - 10:30am parents can just drop their child off and come to collect your child from the hall at the end of the session.

Curriculum Overviews
All parents should have received their child's Curriculum Overview for this term. These documents provide parents with an insight into the learning for your child's grade for this term. Focus novels, artists, inquiry questions and specific content around a range of areas is outlined. This is a great way to engage and foster connection with your child on what they're learning  about in class. This in turn can promote confidence in your child through further discussions or questions on their learning in a safe space. The curriculum overviews can always be found on our school website. Curriculum Overviews - St Cecilia's Wyong (scwdbb.catholic.edu.au)

Sport and Library Days - Term 4
Please find a reminder of your child's sport and/or fitness day to remind you when they need to be in sport uniform. The library day is also listed to remind your child to bag their library bag and return their books if finished with them on that day. 

School Service Team Updates

UPDATE Personal Contact Details on Compass
Please log in to your Compass Parent App to check your email and mobile number are recorded correctly. 

Bus Passes and Transport NSW Update
Down below, we have attached newsletter from Transport NSW with some useful information to assist you with your child's public transport travel enquiries for 2024. 

Teaching and Learning Matters

Each day in classrooms across the country students are engaging in Daily Number Learning activities. The purpose of this daily activity is to ensure that students spend substantial time engaging in targeted learning experiences to develop crucial number knowledge, skills and understanding. By ensuring a daily focus on number, teachers build and reinforce essential number concepts for their students at their point of need.

What is number sense and why is it important?

Number sense is a concept that refers to a child’s ability to understand numbers and the relationship between numbers and using this understanding flexibly and fluently. Number sense helps students to understand what numbers mean, improves their ability to perform mental calculations and gives students the tools to apply their mathematical knowledge in the real world.

Number sense is important for learners because it fosters confidence and encourages flexible thinking. Strong number sense helps build a foundation for mathematical understanding in other mathematical strands as well. Focusing on relevant number sense activities regularly assists to build the foundations necessary to understand and solve more complex mathematical problems.

How can I promote number sense in my child?

There are many ways that number sense can be fostered in students, and you can assist at home by engaging with your child in enjoyable activities to support their number sense. Consider trying one of the quick games below at home:

Religious Education Update

Staff Spotlight

Introducing Mrs. Jones, our esteemed Acting Assistant Principal for the next six months. A familiar face within our school community, Mrs. Jones previously served as part-time, 1 Gold classroom teacher and she was the Numeracy Instructional Coach, demonstrating an unwavering passion and profound expertise in the realm of mathematics education.

With an impressive track record of empowering both teachers and students, Mrs. Jones is known for her collaborative spirit, working seamlessly with all staff members to cultivate and execute effective teaching strategies and programs. Her commitment to fostering an environment where both educators and learners can thrive is evident in her dedication to excellence. As Acting Assistant Principal, Mrs. Jones is poised to bring her wealth of knowledge and collaborative approach to further enhance the educational experience within our school community.

For the next half-year, Mrs. Jones is poised to guide the school with her infectious enthusiasm and a commitment to excellence. We look forward to her guidance, leadership and buckling up for the mathematical  journey where learning is not just a task but a shared adventure, led by a leader who knows that the sum is always greater than its parts.

PEC Update

SPORTS NEWS

CONGRATULATIONS! 

What an achievement from Bodhi Isted to be selected to represent and compete at Polding level in the junior Long Jump last Friday 13th October. Bodhi jumped 3.71m placing him in 10th place. Unfortunately placing in 10th means he just missed out on the State Carnival. Regardless we are all very proud of you and your efforts Bodhi. Congratulations again! 

GOOD LUCK! 

11 of our stage three boys will be representing our school in the Waratah Shield this Friday 20th October. The students in the team are: Lincoln G, Zavier W., Het K., Keaton J., Levi B., Oliver A., Callum H., Abdur R.J., Levi W., Miller W. and Asha D.

The boys have been training for this Friday. Please join me in wishing them the best of luck on the day. 

Mr Murton

PBL - Positive Behaviours For Learning

Classroom Connections

Awards & Acknowledgements

Congratulations to the following children for their achievements! The listed recipients will receive their award at Friday morning's assembly at 8:45am!

Academic Achievement Award

PBL Award

Personal Best Award

Upcoming Events