From the Principal's Desk
VINNIES WINTER APPEAL - GOLD COIN DONATION
Thank you for your donations towards the winter appeal. We will present our local Vinnies conference with a cheque for $1300.00 which will assist families living in our local area during these cold winter months. The students and staff looked great in their favourite jersey!
CYCLIC REVIEW REPORT
Last Thursday, I attend a meeting with Mr Peter Turner, Director of Schools, Mr Noel Henry, Head of School Improvement - Primary, Mark Raue – Professional Assistant to the Director – Strategic Planning & Policy and Ms Kay Blundell, Senior Professional Officer School Improvement Services, to discuss the final report from our Cyclic Review. The future directions were discussed and identified by the staff in the preparation of the report and the recommendations were identified by the panel. Below is an extract from the report.
Section C - Future Directions
The school has provided a comprehensive list of areas it wishes to improve over the next cycle, however, the following seven areas have been identified in the school’s self-report as most significant:
- Embed the recently launched Vision and Mission statements so that all key stakeholders have shared beliefs, understanding and opportunities for lived response;
- Embed the whole school approach to Religious Education programming so that all essential Religious Literacy elements are included and taught;
- Develop a school wide vision for learning that defines agreed principles that will enable the professional community to create learning environments that enhance school and student learning outcomes;
- Strengthen classroom practice in Literacy instruction to improve student learning growth and performance in all strands of the English curriculum;
- Build the capacity of staff in delivering the new NESA Science syllabus to the students and integrating STEM technologies across all Key Learning Areas;
- Build the capacity of staff to provide quality differentiated instruction that takes into account student learning strengths and needs, with particular emphasis on supporting gifted students; and
- Mobilise leadership expertise at all levels in the school in order to generate more opportunities for change and to build staff capacity for improvement.
The Cyclic Review Team endorses these future directions as being highly appropriate and achievable given the context of the school and its commitment to improvement.
Section D - Review Team Recommendations
The Cyclic Review Team express high confidence in the capacity of the Principal and the staff to continue the school’s improvement journey. The culture of professional dialogue, collaboration and focus on the wellbeing of students and staff is very impressive. The school has a vibrant energy, a student-centred atmosphere and is highly organised and professional. It is a welcoming environment for visitors and presents a very positive image to the community.
Based on the information collected in this review, the Cyclic Review Team validate the school’s planning for the future and recommend that the school:
- Undertake Language Background Surveys to get a whole-school profile of English language proficiency so that all students can be phased onto the EAL/D progressions;
- Explore creative ways to keep all parents informed of the school’s strategic goals and improvement plans; and
- Be mindful of the impact of the significant range of improvement initiatives implemented in recent years and ensure the changes are consolidated and the wellbeing of staff, students and families is monitored.
Section E - Cyclic Review Team Comments on the Review Process
The Cyclic Review Team congratulates the Principal of St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School for the thorough and careful preparation for the Cyclic Review process. The staff are to be affirmed for their willing and enthusiastic engagement in open and professional dialogue, and for the warm welcome and hospitality shown during the visit.
GOOD NEWS STORY
NEW DIOCESAN WEBSITE - IT'S WHO WE ARE
Refer to the REC News for a full explanation.
PRINCIPAL AWARD
Congratulations to the following student on receiving his very first Principal Award. This is a outstanding achievement.
| Year 2 | Rocco G |
SANDPIT
Look at the new additions to Chrysalis Park. Thank you to the Shrimpton family who donated the sand and worked together to get our sandpits ready for play. Thanks also to the Sweeney and Ramirez families for the donations of sand play equipment. The students just LOVE playing in our new sandpits.
STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY
The students from Kinder to Year 6 will participate in a specialised gymnastics program for 8 weeks of the school term. This eight-week program, taught by the external provider, Tri skills, will deliver a comprehensive gymnastics program to our students.
The trained teachers offer a variety of activities using specialist gymnastic equipment such as balancing beams, bars, tramps, vaulting boxes and hand held equipment. Each lesson begins with a warm up and concludes with a cool down.
Each class will attend a 40-minute lesson each week and students are required to wear their sport uniform every Friday. The cost of the program, which is $40.00 per student was included in your child’s 2019 Resource fee.
Let's hear from Celeste....
"I have been training for the past five weeks in preparation for not only the State Cross Country but also to achieve a qualifying time to get to the NSW Selection trials for Athletics. I recently ran the 800m and 1500m with Kembla Joggers to record a qualifying time and was successful in gaining entry to compete for selection in both of these events. These selection trials for the NSW Athletics team will be held at the Sydney Olympic Park on the 8th August 2019. I’m really looking forward to the trials and I’ll be continuing to train for these races".
| 22 July 2019 | Pupil Free Day | All day |
| 23 July 2019 | Athletics Carnival | 8.50am |
| 29 July 2019 | Pie Drive Collection | from 2.30pm |
| 31 July 2019 | Launch of Acknowledgement | 11.30am |
| 2 August 2019 | Soccer Gala Day | All day |
| 12- 14 August 2019 | Life Education Van | All day |
| 15 August 2019 | Holy Day of Oligation Mass |
Whole School at 9.30am |
| 21 August 2019 | Book Week Parade |
from 10.50am |
| 14 September 2019 | Biennial Spring Fete |
9.00am - 2.00pm |