eNews
We are very pleased to announce that Mrs Laura Korpershoek has been appointed as our Literacy Leader. Laura is an experienced, local teacher who has worked in both primary and secondary school settings. Laura will work three days per week. We are excited for Laura to start with us next week.
Come and Try Session by the Smithton Auskick/Superkick Centre
Date: Friday, 5th April
Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Age Group: 4 - 12 years (Kinder to Grade 6)
Location: Smithton Recreation Ground - bottom oval
Details: Join us for a taster of all things football! Lead by the Smithton Auskick/Superkick team and supported by AFL Tas. Come across to experience the fun that footy has to offer. A free, one-off session open to all abilities.
Smithton Auskick and Superkick
Date: Fridays from 12th April
Age: Group: 4 to 12 (Kinder to Grade 6)
Location: Smithton Recreation Ground - bottom oval
Details: Welcoming all footballers! Whether you've never touched a footy or are an aspiring AFL/W star. Everyone is welcome to attend our fun-filled sessions! Participants will work alongside their peers to develop their skills and learn all things footy!
Open to all genders, please spread the word and bring your friends. We can't wait for an exciting year of footy!!
Families have been sent information regarding the Athletics Carnival next Wednesday, 10th April via compass. Please contact the office if you have any questions.
Our lost property is overflowing with items. If your child is missing something, please feel free to come in and check. Items in lost property include towels, goggles, jackets, jumpers & drink bottles. It will be emptied at the end of term as most items have been here since last year/early 2024.
This year, St Peter Chanel will again be undertaking in Children's University, for students in Grade 2-6. The program aims to ignite a further love of learning outside the classroom and school context, and allow students to be recognised for extracurricular activities that they undertake. This program was a great success last year, and saw many of our students gain hours of learning outside the classroom and school environment, all contributing towards them being able to graduate at the end of this year.
For more information regarding this program, please see this link or search their Facebook Page:
https://www.utas.edu.au/community-and-partners/peter-underwood-centre/childrens-university
If your child would be interested in taking part this year, we ask all families to please complete this e-consent form (which can be provided to you in hard copy if you require):
For students that took part in 2023, the students accumulated hours have been transferred to 2024 and will continue to be built upon. We will begin lunchtime activities in Term 2 to assist students in gaining further hours.
This weekend, EcoFest in Ulverstone is on and is a CU validated event, if you attend don't forget your passport as you can get this stamped here!
https://www.ecofesttas.com.au/
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact either Mrs Lardner, Ms Monson or Donna at school.
Congratulations to the following students who have recieved awards this month:
Aiming High Awards
Kinder - Mikaiil Shaikh & Zoya Khan
Prep - Logan Paterson & Harry Coombs
Year 1 - Claire Wells & Louie Tonks
Year 2 - Tilly Korpershoek & Jordy Medwin
Year 3 - Logan Rutter & Max Williams
Year 4 - Tayla Berechree & Jake Moore
Year 5 - Nina Franks & Ella Berechree
Year 6 - Naite Barker & Dane Grey
SPC Way Award - Ava Bryan
Aiming High Awards
Kinder - Dottie Fraser & Luca Davis
Prep - Jax Hardy & Quinn Courtney
Year 1 - Musa Shaikh & Louis Butt
Year 2 - Rylah Langton & Hamda Usama
Year 3 - Isla Burke & Xzavier Griffiths
Year 4 - Oliver Paterson & Amelia Khan
Year 5 - Myla Jenkins & River Bryan
Year 6 - Max Monson & Arah Blake
SPC Way Award - Jaiden Spinks
Students are invited to attend ANZAC day on Thursday, 25th April which falls in the second week of school holidays. Any students who would like to participate are asked to arrive by 10.15am in full school uniform, meeting outside the Reject Shop. Miss Danae Ling & Miss Shenae Marthick will be accompaning students. More information will be given closer to the date.
Bake Raffle
Congratulations to last month's Bake Raffle winners Luca Davis & Mrs Somerville!
Easter Raffle
Thank you to everyone for your donations, we were able to put together 9 prizes! Congratulations to the following:
1st - Henry Dabner
2nd - Taite Walsh
3rd - Amiti Dennison
4th - Blake Humphrey
5th - Aileen
6th - Simone Hall
7th - Oliver Wright
8th - Luca Farrelly
9th - Dane Walsh
Athletics BBQ
The P&F will be running a BBQ at our school Athletics Carnival. Families are able to order now via Qkr, prices are as follows:
Sausages in bread $2.50
GF Sausage in bread $3.00
Veggie burger $4.00
Juice Box $2.00
Should the carnival be cancelled due to bad weather the students will receive their lunch orders at school.
Donut Drive
Please see below details for the upcoming Donut Drive. Order forms will be sent home in Week 1 of Term 2.
The AGM was held last week and Mr Patrick Cotton has resigned after serving a term of 3 years. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Pat for his incredible contribution over those three years.
We therefore have a position available on our school Board. We are seeking expressions of interest for a new member. Please express your interest by email to: melissa.thorp@catholic.tas.edu.au
Last week, Prep went on our 'On Country' excursion. We headed to Trawmanna to explore the vegetable patch, the garden and the grounds. While we were there we learnt about why an Acknowledgement of Country is important, we ate some edible plants and collected some gum leaves to decorate.
When we arrived we ate our first lunch, then explored the grounds with Ebony and Shae guiding us through and showing us which plants, fruits and vegetables we could try. When we continued exploring the grounds, Ebony showed us the smoking area and we learnt that the smoking area is used in ceremonies for its cleansing properties.
After we explored the grounds, we created some necklaces using natural beads, created headbands or wrist bands using coloured strips of red, black and yellow and we also decorated gum leaves.
Before heading back to school, Ebony explained and showed us some Aboriginal artefacts and what they would have been used for many years ago.
We all had a great time!
I too hope that you all had the opportunity to spend some time with family and loved ones over the Easter break. With Term 1 being as busy as it was to this point, the extra long weekend was well earned. Easter marks the end of the Season of Lent and we now enter a 50 day period of celebrating Jesus’ resurrection. The end of Lent also brings the end of Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion. Can all money boxes please be returned to the school before the end of term so they can be counted and deposited during the upcoming term break. Thank you for all of the support you have given this program.
The flowchart below shows how we at St Peter Chanel address any behaviour issues that may arise at our school. This is a consistent approach that all staff follow in the classroom and on the playground. This chart is displayed in all learning areas and will be regularly referred to so that students understand the response to behaviours that may cause an interruption to teaching and learning or safe play. This approach in conjunction with the SPC Way has led to improved behaviour school wide and we look forward to seeing how these programs develop over the year.
End of Term Prayer
We thank you Lord for this term,
For the challenges, the successes and the mistakes from which we have learnt.
Be with us as we spend time with our family and friends.
Give us strength and courage to do what is right;
To be witnesses of our faith.
Help us to appreciate what others do for us,
To give time and effort to help others,
To be peacemakers in our family.
Keep us safe in our activities;
Give us good rest and good fun.
Bring us back refreshed and ready for a new term.
We thank you for our classmates, teachers, parents and a community that cares for us.
We ask this in your name,
Amen
Mr Casey Moore
Deputy Principal/REC
I hope that you were all able to spend some time with loved ones over the Easter long weekend. This 10 week first term has certainly been a very busy one. With only five school days left of this term, and listing all that we have accomplished in addition to classroom teaching and learning, your children are very deserving of the break ahead! This term has seen us do the following:
Harmony Week
'On Country' Excursions
Water Awareness Program
Swimming Carnival
Year 3 & 5 NAPLAN
Year 6 PCYC Leadership Day
Year 6 MJR day at St Brigid’s
Children’s University activities
2024 Opening Mass
Ash Wednesday Liturgy
The Stations of the Cross
The students have just been exceptional this term. The SPC Way (The way we do things at SPC) that has all students and teachers using a common language around behaviour and explicitly knowing what is expected of them has certainly set a tone of calmness and engagement in learning across the school.
We look forward to all that Term 2 brings!
Mrs Kerrie Flynn
Principal
SPC Way
The way we do things at SPC
The teachers have set routines for all entries, exits and transitions in the day. Students in every class know how they are to enter the classroom, how they are to leave the classroom and walk to another space and how they are to move between spaces in the classroom. In this way, students do not have to guess what the teacher wants from them. This gives them certainty and predictability. Often, behaviour issues come from children not knowing what is expected of them and being confused about what the teacher is asking of them.
We have seen a marked improvement in behaviour just through consistent, structured entries, exits and transition processes!
Good Luck to all the 3-6 students who have been selected to attend the North West Swimming Carnival next Tuesday, 12th March. We know you will all do your best and represent SPC well!
Play-based Learning
In Kindergarten we do lots of Play-based Learning. This means that through play the students learn and practise many skills such as problem solving, sharing and turn-taking, resilience and creativity. We also develop literacy and mathematical knowledge including story telling, speaking & listening, counting, colours and shapes.
Buddies
Recently the Kinder and Grade 6 buddies met for the first time. We got to know each other a little bit and created awesome collages of ourselves. It was so much fun to spend time together and all the students can’t wait to do more exciting, fun and fabulous activities together!
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