12th September 2023
Assistant Principal News
Father’s Day Celebrations
We hope that our dads and father figures had a wonderful day celebrating on Sunday. Thank you to our volunteers who came to wrap and sell the gifts for the Father’s Day stall. I would also like to thank our staff and volunteers for coming to school bright and early Monday morning to cook our Father’s Day brekky. It was wonderful to see so many fathers and grandfathers enjoying their bacon and egg rolls and making paper planes.
Fathers Day at Holy Spirit Infants
Positive Behaviour for Learning
Firstly, I would like to introduce our families to “Wayilla” a yellow tailed, black cockatoo often seen sitting in the gum trees at school. Wayilla (“black cockatoo” in Awabakal language) has been chosen by our students and staff as our PBL mascot.
Wayilla appears in our PBL lesson templates and will soon appear in signage in the playground. Wayilla reminds our students of the positive behaviours which they are working towards.
Our next PBL focus is from the domain “I am safe”:
“I use my ABC.”
For the last two weeks of term 3, we will be focusing on the actions students should take when conflict or a problem arises. There are times in the classroom as well as on the playground where students may find themselves having a different opinion, feeling left out or treated unfairly by another student, this focus allows them to take action to solve this problem or conflict.
ABC is an acronym:
A – Avoid the situation
B- Be assertive
C – Call for help
We teach our students that when they are faced with a social problem, they should first AVOID THE SITUATION by ignoring, walking away or playing another game. Often this can help as it appears we aren’t bothered by another’s comments.
Sometimes it’s not possible to ignore another's comment or go and play another game. If this is not possible or the other student continues, they can BE ASSERTIVE and ask the other person to STOP and try to find a solution.
If the problem continues, it’s now time to CALL FOR HELP by telling an adult or teacher and asking for some help.
This process empowers our students to try to first solve the problem rather than immediately asking for the help or an adult but still acknowledges that young children may need some assistance in solving social problems.
Ask your child/ren if they can think of a time they have used their ABC!
National Child Protection Week - Decorate Your Gate
This week is National Child Protection Week a campaign held annually across Australia to raise awareness of child abuse prevention. This year’s campaign will be held between 3 to 9 September and the Office of Safeguarding encourages agencies to help raise awareness.
The week aims to engage, educate, and empower Australians to understand the complexity of child abuse and neglect, and work together to prevent it. The campaign does this through the sharing of events and resources to encourage communities to engage in conversations around children’s safety and wellbeing.
This year's theme is Where we start matters, to highlight that where we live and the opportunities available to us can significantly impact the direction of our lives.
This year Holy Spirit Infants are participating in “Decorate you Gate” and initiative designed to raise awareness of Child Protection Week. Our banner depicts the lifecycle of a butterfly which we feel is symbolic of the change that students undergo in the early years of education here at Abermain. However, an egg can only morph into a butterfly with the right environmental conditions. If children have a supportive environment in which to grow and develop, they too will grow into their independent adult self, equipped to face the challenges of life.
Our banner was created by staff and students using recycled bottle tops. We invite you to take a picture of your child in front of the banner this week or next in support of Child Protection Week.
Rebecca Kearns, Assistant Principal
Sharing Our Faith
Father's Day Liturgy
On Monday 4th September, we celebrated Father's Day at Holy Spirit. After a hearty bacon & egg breakfast, we gathered in the Church to celebrate this special occasion and to thank all our father figures for all they do in our lives.
Well done to all those who read and for each our grades who sung a special song for their Dad's, it was beautiful to watch!
Parish Mass Times
Saturday 9th September
9:00am Mass - St. Joseph's Cessnock
6:00pm Mass - St. Joseph's Cessnock
Sunday 10th September
8:30am Mass - Holy Spirit Kurri Kurri
10:30am Mass - St. Joseph's Cessnock
4:30pm Liturgy of the Word - St. Francis Xavier's Abermain
4:30pm Mass - St. Michael the Archangel Wollombi
Saturday 16th September
9:00am Mass - Holy Spirit Kurri Kurri
6:00pm Mass - St. Joseph's Cessnock
Sunday 17th September
8:30am Mass - Holy Spirit Kurri Kurri
10:30am Mass - St. Joseph's Cessnock
4:30pm Mass - St. Francis Xavier's Abermain
Year 2 News
Visual Arts in Year 2
In Visual Arts this term, Year 2 has had the opportunity to learn about reproducing the painting styles of great artists using computer programs. Each lesson has focused upon a different artist and their particular style including Pablo Picasso, Georges Suerat, Piet Mondrian and Monet. The children have used examples from each of these Artists as inspiration for mastering specific techniques within the design-based software ‘Paint.’ Students have demonstrated amazing progress in their computer literacy this term and as a result, have been able to create exceptional, artistic masterpieces!
Fruit & Veg Week @ Holy Spirit
Our school will be participating in Fruit & Veg Week 2023.
Students will be involved in various classroom and school-based activities to encourage them to eat more fruit and vegetables.
Fruit & Veg Week 2023 will be run in Week 10 from Monday 18 September to Friday 22 September.
Each day during the week we will have different activities to focus on the importance of Fruit and Veggies:
Monday - Bring in a piece of fruit. This will be cut up at school for students to have a fruit platter so they can have the opportunity to try different or familiar fruits.
Tuesday - Fruit & Veg Science experiment in classes.
Wednesday - Bring in a recipe from home that uses fruits and vegetables and each class will be able to create a Healthy Recipe book we can share with the class.
Thursday - Bring in a vegetable that can be eaten raw (e.g carrot, celery, tomato, cucumber). This will be cut up at school for students to have a veggie platter so they can have the opportunity to try different or familiar vegetables.
Friday - Students will participate in some fruit and veg inspired art.
Totem Pole Competition
'On Monday, 4th September, Michael, Nikola, Ruby and Kai from All Saints College, St Peter's Maitland came to our school to help our Year 2 Aboriginal students decorate a totem pole. They helped guide the students explaining what the different symbols meant and Michael taught the students some traditional language. The children were very engaged and loved being able to decorate the totem using a variety of different paints. Our totem pole will be submitted as part of the 'Amaze and Graze' event at the Hunter valley Garden in the coming month.
Science Week
Last Friday, the Holy Spirit community came together to commemorate National Science Week with great enthusiasm. This year's Science Week revolved around the captivating theme of innovation, encouraging our students to tap into their inventive spirit. Our budding scientists and engineers seized the opportunity to put their creative minds to work, embarking on the exciting journey of designing and constructing their very own balloon rockets and balloon hovercraft.
Mr Brodie Flynn 2B/KB
Canteen News
Canteen Meal Deal - just a reminder that orders have now closed on the QKR app for the meal deal. It will be served on Friday 15th September.
Canteen will be normal for the last day of term Friday 22nd September.
If you would like to assist in the canteen and have your volunteer clearance, please email admin@abermain.catholic.edu.au
The roster for Term 4 is currently being prepared. Thank you again to our volunteers who give generously of their time to provide this service for our school and student.
Awards
Reminders
Headlice
Parents, we have had a few cases of head lice within our school community. Parents please ensure you check your child's hair on a regular basis and treat if necessary. It is a reminder for girls particualrly to make sure their hair is tied back and not worn out, in line with our school uniform policy.
News from the Library
On Monday we were entertained by Meerkat Productions who performed "Frank’s Red Hat". It was a wonderful opportunity for students to engage with the shortlisted picture book through a different medium. The children enjoyed the performance, interacting with the cast and singing along.
Book Parade News
Our Scholastic Book Fair is nearly here! It will open on Tuesday and Wednesday so come along to find the best new books and help to earn free books for our library!
The Book Fair will be open in the library on the following days:
Tuesday 12th September 2023
8:30 am to 9:00 am and
2:30 pm to 3:30 pm.
Wednesday 13th September 2023 (Book Parade Day)
8:30 am to 9:00 am and
1:00 pm to 2:00pm.
On Wednesday 13th September we are excited to welcome our families for our Book Week celebration.
The parade will commence at 12:00pm.
All families are invited to picnic with your children after the parade.
I look forward to another colourful and fun-filled day.
Thank you so much for your support,
Evelyn Covita
Teacher Librarian
Dates for Your Diary
Community News
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