Holy Spirit Infants School Abermain eNewsletter

Principals News

Heavenly Father, you entrusted your Son Jesus, the child of Mary, to the care of Joseph, his foster father. Bless all fathers and grandfathers as they care for their families. Give them strength and wisdom, tenderness and patience, give them ability to love in a way that reflects your love. Support them in the work they have to do, protecting those who look to them, as we look to you for love and salvation. Help us to love them in a way that would bring honor to You and them. Bless and heal all those wounded by the imperfections of their fathers and grant an eternal rest to our fathers you have called from this life to yourself, through Jesus Christ Lord. Amen

Dear Families,

As we celebrate Father's Day on Sunday September 1st, we ask for God's blessing on all fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, those who are like a father to us. Some fathers may be working on Father's Day or watching their children play sport due to washed out games this season; some may take the family out for a picnic or a trip to the park; others may go on a bike ride or have a BBQ in the back yard; others will take the family to visit their grandfather. Whatever your family chooses to do, we wish all dads a terrific day!

We have a Father's Day Stall being held at school on Tuesday 27th August at 9.15am and I am very grateful to the parent helpers who have volunteered to operate the stall for our students. We have a breakfast, and orders are via Qkr and then a liturgy to celebrate Fathers in our lives. We hope you can join us for the morning!

Annual School Visit

Last Friday we welcomed lots of visitors from the Diocese to our school. We began the day with an acknowledgement of country and a welcoming liturgy under the newly lined cola. We prayed together and sang our welcome song. Ms. Lisa Tierney the Chief Operations Officer of the Diocese addressed the assembly and thanked our students for their great singing and for their warm welcome. The visitors met with our executive team and also visited our classrooms to meet with the students and ask questions about their learning. The visitors were education officers or leaders of wellbeing and learning and the feedback and praise they had for our students and the work of our staff was excellent. There were also other key partners online. Mr. Ryan Gato Assistant Head of Religious Education and Spirituality also visited our classrooms and spent time talking with our students about what they love learning about God and the personal choice component of the new RE syllabus. His feedback to the group after the classroom visits was that our students were excited and proud to share their learning. The Annual School Visits are an initiative of the diocese whereby principals and the executive team can share and showcase all the aspects of the school that are thriving and flourishing and have a discussion about areas where we may need more system support. This annual school visit was very affirming and a terrific opportunity to come together to discuss our school. Our school is rated second in the diocese for our great attendance rate! Well done families! that sure is something to celebrate!

Uniform News

Our uniforms are very smart and our students K-2 and 3-6 are always complimented on how well they are dressed for school. Uniforms promote a sense of belonging and pride in a school. We do need to review aspects of the current uniform so that it can have additional options.

Last week Mrs. Waters, Assistant Principal HS Kurri and I met with our uniform supplier Rob Flannagan, to begin discussions about additional uniform items for our girl's summer uniform K-6. The additional items will provide a further uniform option for girls to wear shorts and a blouse in summer. Samples are being made ready to share with families and we have been told that the additional uniform option of a girls' shorts and blouse will be available for purchase ready for the 2025 school year, which is great news.

We also discussed the current girls' royal blue skorts and gave the feedback that the waistband on this product is a continual issue for some of our students. We have agreed to phase out the current style skorts and move to a softer, stretch fabric in royal blue with HOLY SPIRIT embroidered on the leg. This does not mean that current style skorts are not able to be worn when the new style/material is available, of course they can. The next few years will be a phase in period for these items. We have been told that this item will also be available for 2025 school year.

A bigger discussion around changing the sport uniform - a new sport shirt design, possible new soft-shell jacket is in the very initial stages, and we will send out a survey at the appropriate time to seek parent feedback as a change in uniform requires. The timeline for the availability of this new sport uniform K-6 is around term 3 2025. Again, this new uniform would have a two year phase in period and there is no need or expectation to buy a new sport uniform.

We also discussed the current winter woolen jumper as a very expensive item at around $64 each and it is not an item that many families choose to buy. Whilst the jumper is a very smart looking item, many children do not like the feel of it or the tightness of it. We have requested a sample of a unisex zip up soft-shell jacket with our school logo in royal blue to be made and shared as this may become the replacement over time for the woolen jumper. Again, items that families have already purchased and items which the supplier still carries in stock, will be able to be worn for a couple of years as we phase in the new items once decided upon.

We also discussed an idea for the girls in years 3-6 only to have the option to move to a skirt and blouse or, if they prefer, the current summer tunic. More details to come.

PEG

The next PEG (Parent Engagement Meeting) will be held online via zoom on Monday 9th September at 6.30pm.

The meeting will provide an opportunity for some feedback from the Tell Them From Me Survey to be shared and a discussion to follow. Schools may share what each school will focus on in response to the feedback shared by our parents/carers. We really do want to work together with our families, and we are trialing this online option. A Compass reminder with details to join the meeting will be shared as well as the links will be found in the next newsletter. Please put this date in your diary as we want to hear your voice.

Drama Showcase

We are very fortunate to have the support of Anna Kerrigan (Artistic Director of Aspire) as well as Jess Lopez (Music Director of Aspire) and Lara Crockett (Design Director Aspire); Lauren Harvey (Dance Director) and Sophie (Aspire Team) all working with our students and staff in readiness for our drama presentation. We only have a few weeks to go, and the students are learning their lines and practicing their places. This experience is quite unique as the children have written their own scripts as well as created their own class songs to accompany their drama piece. We are still working on a title.

Ticket details are coming - please save the date: Thursday evening 19th September at Weston Civic Centre. We are proposing a start time of 6pm.

We are currently seeking support for raffle prizes and if your workplace or business would be in a position to make a donation of a prize for the raffle, please contact Dot/Bonney in the office as we would be most appreciative. Any donations will receive a Certificate of Appreciation from the school.

Year 1 Phonics Screener

Our Year 1 students have undertaken a one-on-one phonics screener assessment this week and the results will be uploaded into a data base called Plan 2. This will allow schools to track student achievement across several year levels as the student moves through their schooling years. If your child was away due to being unwell, the teachers will catch them up over the next week.

Kinder 2025 Playgroups set to start

Our first playgroup for kindergarten students of 2025 will begin next Tuesday 27th August at 1.30pm in the school hall. We are looking forward to welcoming new families and getting to know everyone. The playgroups are not compulsory, but they are a very successful strategy for future students and their parent to meet one another and begin forming new friendships. We hope to see you there!

What's in the lunchbox?

A gentle reminder to our parents that what is in a child's lunchbox may be impacting their behaviour. We are a Healthy Eating school whereby our canteen is accredited as a Healthy School Canteen (due to the hard work of our Canteen Supervisors), and we have a philosophy to foster and encourage healthy eating habits. We have started to notice more and more packaged snack food items in lunchboxes. It can be a very visual exercise to see just how many packets of chips, lollies, snack bars, biscuits, donuts, etc your child is given to eat over a 4-week period of 20 packed school lunches. If a child has processed snack food items daily at school, over a one-month period, that child is consuming perhaps 20 bags of potato chips or 20 large cookies. This does impact your child's health. Each newsletter we share ideas for nutritious meals or healthy snack options. We know families with working parents are super busy. We would just like to encourage all parents to really consider the quality of the snacks being provided in lunchboxes and to become aware that snacks high in sugar and salt really do impact children and sometimes impact a child's behaviour. Apples and a piece of fruit are great snacks!

Reminder: Pupil Free day Friday 6th September

No school for students on this day as our staff attends an RE and Spirituality Day for their Professional development.

We do have a lot happening with Public Speaking competitions in classes, grades and our school event on 5th September in the hall. If your child is in the school final, you will be notified by your child's teacher and invited to attend to support them on the day. The Regional Public Speaking competition which is usually hosted here at Abermain will be at St Aloysius Chisholm this year on 18th September in the morning.

Have a fabulous fortnight!

Blessings on your families, Diane Murphy

Assistant Principal News

Attendance

Consistent school attendance is vital for your child's overall well-being and academic achievement. Being present at school every day, including Fridays, ensures your child benefits from a structured routine, develops strong learning habits, and builds a sense of responsibility and commitment.

Regular attendance helps students stay engaged in their education, foster positive relationships with teachers and classmates, and fully participate in classroom activities. It also supports the development of crucial skills such as time management, organisation, and perseverance. Missing school, even occasionally, can create learning gaps and make it harder for students to keep up with the curriculum.

Attending school regularly is not only essential for your child’s educational progress but is also a legal requirement. By ensuring your child attends school each day, you support their learning journey and meet legal obligations.

Your support in prioritising your child's attendance, including on Fridays, is greatly appreciated and plays a key role in their academic success and well-being.

Positive Behaviour for Learning 

For the next two weeks of Term 3, our PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning) focus will centre on the value of “Respect,” specifically highlighting the themes of “Kindness” and “Honesty.”

“I am kind and honest.”

This week, our students engaged in a PB4L lesson that explored what it means to be kind and honest, both on the playground and in the classroom. We discussed various situations they might encounter at school where demonstrating kindness or practising honesty is essential, even when it’s challenging. The lesson included examples of what kindness and honesty look like, how they make us feel, and the ways we can express them through our words and actions.

Encouraging kindness and honesty at home can reinforce what students are learning at school and help build these important values into their everyday lives. Here are some ideas for parents:

Promoting Kindness:

Kindness Charts:

- Create a “Kindness Chart” at home where family members can track acts of kindness. Reward and celebrate these acts to reinforce their importance.

Kindness Challenges:

- Set up weekly or monthly challenges, such as helping a neighbour, complimenting a family member, or writing a thank-you note, and encourage the whole family to participate.

Role Model Kindness:

- Demonstrate acts of kindness in your daily life. Children learn a lot by observing their parents, so showing kindness to others, including them, can be a powerful lesson.

Discuss Kindness:

- Have regular discussions about what kindness means and share stories about kind acts you’ve witnessed or experienced.

Encouraging Honesty:

Honesty Conversations:

- Talk about the value of honesty and why it’s important, especially when it’s difficult. Use real-life situations to discuss the impact of honesty.

Create a Safe Space:

- Foster an environment where children feel safe to be honest, even if they’ve made a mistake. Emphasise that it’s okay to be truthful and that mistakes are opportunities for learning.

Honesty Praise:

- Praise and acknowledge when your child is honest, especially in challenging situations. This positive reinforcement can help them value and practice honesty more.

Honest Discussions:

- Encourage open communication at home where children can express their feelings and thoughts honestly. Let them know their opinions and feelings are valued.

Joint Activities:

Read Books:

- Find books that focus on kindness and honesty and read them together. Discuss the characters’ actions and how they relate to real-life situations.

2. Gratitude Practice:

- Implement a daily or weekly practice where family members share things they are grateful for and acts of kindness they’ve noticed.

By integrating these practices into daily life, parents can help reinforce the values of kindness and honesty and support their children in applying these principles consistently.

Rebecca Kearns

Assistant Principal

Sharing Our Faith

Social Justice-Holy Spirit Mini Vinnies

Our Mini Vinnies Team is off to a fantastic start! We have a group of 20 year 2 students who are bursting with ideas and excitement on ways we can serve others in our school and local communities. Our first project has been to plant herbs and pops of colour in our recently restored garden tubs.

Whilst working hard in our lunch time each Thursday we have had some fantastic
discussions about what a Mini Vinnies group does. The Mini Vinnies pledge perfectly
captures what we are all about!

Catholic Mission- Socktober

In Week 9 our school leaders will join have the opportunity to join Bishop Kennedy and celebrate World Mission Month with the official launch of Socktober at McDonald Jones Stadium with Mrs Edwards. This year we are raising awareness and funds for the Caring Center in Mongolia. The Caring Center provides a home for Otgonbayar and his friends who have nowhere else to call home. A Socktober event will be held at Holy Spirit early in Term 4.

Term 3 Family Mass

As we always strive to strengthen our school and parish relationship, we warmly invite all families to our Term 3 Mass. This is an opportunity for your family to connect with our community and publicly express our faith. At a Family Mass students enjoy reading prayers of intercession, carrying the gifts to Fr James, processing into the Church with the Gospel and singing familiar songs. After Mass we offer light refreshments and a chance to chat with the community.

Please save the date -Sunday 15th September at 4.30pm for our Term 3 Family Mass. If you or child is interested in reading or participating in Mass, please contact the office.

Highlights in Year 2 White

Year 2 White have been unpacking what it means to live justly.

Justice is more than fairness. Justice might mean taking into consideration whether one person has had nothing else to eat that day and giving them a bigger slice of cake than someone who has just had dinner. Being just does not always mean being fair. 

Year 2 took some time to reflect on a time they were treated unfairly and had to then decide if the situation was unjust. They then used the popcorn strategy (A form of brainstorming where a word, idea, phrase or question is written on a piece of paper and ‘thrown’ into the a circle) to select a name at random. They then had to award a medal to someone who is fair and just.

They also shared their understanding of justice by using loose parts to show a situation that was just.

As Catholics we know that different people can have different attitudes about the same thing. Jesus asks that our actions match our attitudes. 

Highlights in Year 2

Vineyards Parish Mass Times 

Science Week

Dear Parents and Guardians,

A big thank you for your support in making National Science Week such a memorable event! Our theme this year, "Species Survival," captivated the students, and they eagerly dove into learning about how animals and plants adapt and survive in different environments.

From creative science experiments to hands-on demonstrations, students explored the importance of food, shelter, and camouflage for survival. The curiosity and excitement they showed during these activities were inspiring!

Thank you to everyone who sent in clear plastic bottles and helped your children gear up with their "Mad Scientist" outfits. Your contributions made the day even more special. We hope this experience sparks continued interest in science and the natural world around us!

Thank you,

BRODIE FLYNN

CLASSROOM TEACHER

Science Week

Showcase Drama Concert Costumes

Our students are preparing for our drama showcase on 19th September at 6pm at Weston Civic Centre. Every child has a line/s to learn and parents and carers can assist us by rehearsing your child's line with them as often as you can.

For any performance, costumes are very important. We are working with the very talented Aspire crew who are digging deep to source many costume items for us to borrow for our drama showcase. However, each child in each class will require specific clothing for their item. In the interests of trying to provide as much notice as possible, here is a list of which class requires which costume items. Please reach out to your child's teacher to clarify anything you are unsure of.

YEAR 2B: Mr Flynn has contacted parents via Seesaw and notified what costume items are needed.

YEAR 2W: The children know which Minecraft character they are: Creepers - Green top and bottoms;

Zombies - Black top and bottoms; Skeletons -Grey top and bottoms. All 2W students are asked to wear black shoes.

KW: Superheroes will have a cape supplied by Aspire and children wear black top and black bottoms.

Kids will wear casual play clothes for their act. All to wear black school shoes.

KB: Dinosaurs - Tails supplied by school; headpieces to be made at school. Students are asked to wear top of one single colour e.g. all red; all purple etc Miss L will Seesaw families. All students are to wear black pants and black school shoes please.

Year 1W: Each child is a character e.g. a footballer; a news reader; a famous person. Parents are asked to do their best to dress your child using items from home that are best suited to your child's character.

Year 1B: Each child has been allocated to be a sea creature. Most of these costumes/props will be supplied by Aspire or made at school. Your child will know what they are and here is the colour of the clothing top and bottoms needed to be worn please. School shoes on feet.

Starfish - purple; Sharks - grey; Turtles - brown; Fish - any colour; Crabs - red; Stingray - navy; jellyfish - white; Seahorse/dolphins/seasnakes - outfits supplied by Aspire.

We have lots to prepare and if any parent is keen to help with costumes or prop making, please contact the school office as we would love to have your help!

Book Week Celebrations Books are Magic!

News from the Library

This week, Tuesday 20^th August, Sandra Ryan from Cessnock City Library visited our school and explored some of the shortlisted books in a fun and engaging way. Students were picked to help perform a short scene based on the story ‘One Little Duck’ by Katrina Germein and Danny Snell. This wonderful story is fun twist on the song Five Little Ducks.

This is another reminder that our book parade will be held Wednesday 28^th August. The theme this year is ‘Reading is Magic’. As always, children are asked to dress up as their favourite book character or as someone that inspires them to be their best. Please make sure they have the corresponding book, comic, magazine etc. with them on the day.

I look forward to seeing all the amazing characters come to life.

Happy reading,

Miss Covita, Teacher Librarian

You_are_invited.pdf

Book_Week_competition2.pdf

Pastoral Care Connect

It has been a wonderful few weeks within pastoral care with some exciting activities and time well spent with the children.

Mini Vinnies is in its third week with our colourful garden completed in our newly appointed Mini Vinnies meeting and prayer spot.

The children have planted a variety of herbs to be able to soon send home for use in the family Kitchen. Fingers crossed Mrs. Barrass and Mrs. Edwards green thumbs are on track.

Following on from our gardening we will speak of ways to recycle at school and at home along with composting. So, if your child starts collecting bottles or worms this is why - They are very enthusiastic!

Year one girls commenced their "Friendship Circle Picnic - It's such a great time whilst sharing our lunch together to have light conversations around friendships. It allows the girls to open up and listen to each other on all forms of kindness and how to be a good friend. It encourages new friendships that are built with in the circle, it worked really well with the year 2 girls and I am looking forward to watching the year one girls' blossom.

Holy Spirit Infants School Choir:

Along with the expertise and talents of Mrs. Mathews a group of children will form our first school choir. The Choirs debut performance will be at the civic theatre Newcastle for the Dio Sounds Choir showcase on the 9th of November..... more details to come!

It really is a joy to be in this role and spend time with the beautiful students of Holy Spirit

I am always reachable for anything that you may need for me to support you and your children.

Take Care Families

Amanda Barrass

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Teacher

Hello Holy Spirit Infants families!
My name is Mrs Natasha Clements, and I have joined the wonderful teaching team here, as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Teacher for the remainder of 2024. As well as being a teacher, I am also a speech pathologist with nearly a decade of experience. I have worked primarily with early childhood and primary school aged children across the Hunter, in schools, homes and community based roles.

I will be working here at Holy Spirit Infants 2 days a week and have 2 young boys at home to keep me busy the rest of the week.

I have spent the last few weeks in all the classrooms building relationships with students and supporting them in their learning. I am so looking forward to getting to know you all. You can contact me via email: natasha.clements@mn.catholic.edu.au

Fee Clearance for Year 2 Students

Fee Clearance (for Year 3) - As students in Year 2 complete their schooling here at Holy Spirit Infants, they will require a fee clearance prior to being accepted for enrolment into Holy Spirit Primary at Kurri. This is bringing both schools in line with the Diocesan Policy that requires students who transition to another Catholic School eg Year 2 to Year 3; Yr 6 to Yr 7; Yr 10 to Yr 11 to have a fee clearance. We appreciate all that families do to honour their fee responsibilities.

If you have set up a periodic payment arrangement, we are appreciative of your ongoing commitment and ask that you please check the amount remaining and adjust your payments as needed. As always, families who are having difficulty with meeting their fee responsibilities are encouraged to make an appointment with the principal as soon as possible please.