20th May

Principals News

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Dear Parents and Carers

This week has been one of great reflection and contemplation by our staff as we came together for our staff retreat. Our spiritual retreat is an important part of our staff's faith formation. 

Faith formation in the Catholic schools in the Maitland-Newcastle diocese occurs within the context of the Catholic Christian faith tradition. Such formation is orientated to the spiritual growth of each individual and the spiritual flourishing of the school community. Catholic schools in the Maitland-Newcastle diocese endeavour to develop a social environment in which teachers, students and parents are valued and know they are valued as persons of worth and dignity, created in the image and likeness of God.

The setting for our retreat was St Joseph's Spirituality and Education Centre at Kincumber on the Central Coast. This special place on the water of Broken Bay was established as an orphanage for boys (and later girls as well) by St Mary of the Cross (Mary MacKillop) in 1887. Her mission was to educate the poor and destitute and to help change lives. Our own school has links to the work of the Sisters of St Joseph, who, following in Mary's footsteps and working alongside Fr Julian Tenneson Woods, established many of our catholic schools in the diocese. 

As a staff, under the guidance of Rose McAllister (Adult Formation in the Diocese) we explored the Fruits of the Spirit and our school charism stemming from the Sisters of St Joseph. We explored various options for prayer such as partner prayer; lexio divina and viso divina. We also got creative to make an artwork collaboratively.

We discovered the links between the life work of Mary Mackillop and our own school community of Holy Spirit Abermain. I'd like to share some of these beautiful links we discovered with you: 

• Just as Mary did, we are a very inclusive community.
• The children we teach leave a mark on our hearts.
• We care for them (children) and each other like a family.
• The love, care and compassion the teachers at Holy Spirit Abermain have for all students and each other.
• We share the same love of improving children’s lives through education.
• We see the gifts each child brings.
• Care and respect for children and the backgrounds they come from.
• We have deep concern and compassion for our students.
• Support disadvantaged families.
• Encourage children to be the best they can be.
• Very caring place to be. They help you with everything. We are there for everyone, a very family friendly place to be and work at.
• At Holy Spirit Infants we witness the human dignity of each person – just like Mary MacKillop.
• All of us are caring, there is not one staff member that wouldn’t go out of their way for our students. We are brave, strong and united.
• We want to make a difference and allow all children to experience the love of God.

Our retreat was a very valuable opportunity for us to grow in our own spirituality and to immerse ourselves together as a team into learning more about the shared wisdom, courage, hardships and determination shown by Austalia's first Saint. I am so appreciative of the depth of engagement of each of our staff in the retreat. 

We are proudly a catholic school built on the Josephite traditions. 

National Volunteers Week 17-23rd May

A very special thank you to our many generous volunteers who share with us their time and skills to make our school such a great community. For our Reading helpers; our canteen helpers; our sewing helper and our maintenance helper...we are so very blessed to have your support.

Please accept our heartfelt thanks! 

The Feast of Pentecost

On Sunday it is the Feast of Pentecost and this is an important celebration. This day is often referred to as the Church's birthday or the birth of the early church. Why? Well its the feast where we recall the events of long ago where the apostles received the Holy Spirit and they went forth into the world to tell the Good News to their people. This feast occurs on the 50th day after Easter and is a movable feast. Our school is called Holy Spirit Abermain and therefore this feast day is our school's special day. We will celebrate with a liturgy on Tuesday 25th May and the children will enjoy sharing a very large birthday cake and create a craft activity in their classrooms. They are invited to wear red, orange or yellow clothing as it is an out of uniform day. 

Confirmation Congratulations

On Wednesday evening several of our students' older brothers and sisters at Holy Spirit Kurri were confirmed by the Vicar General Fr Andrew Doohan. We congratulate them and their families for undertaking this next step in their sacramental life. 

200 Years of Catholic Education in Australia

On Monday, two of our school leaders and I will represent Holy Spirit Infants at a special diocesan celebration to mark 200 years of catholic education in our country. We will travel to the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Hamilton with representatives from every one of our diocesan schools to celebrate mass and acknowledge the Emmaus Award winners for the year. It will be a wonderful opportunity to join together once again. 

Welcome to a new family: 

We welcome Lilly into Year 1W this week. We hope Lilly and her family will soon feel they belong with us at Holy Spirit as part of our school family. 

P&F or Parent Engagement Model?

At our meeting on Tuesday evening 18th May a vote was held to determine the way forward for our school and Kurri school. The vote was unanimous and we are to adopt the PEG model.

We acknowledged the great work of the P&F associations of the past decades for it is on the back of their generosity and forsight that both our schools have been so well supported.

The P&F will now be dissolved. The financial books will be independently reviewed by an external auditor and the funds shared equally between the Infants School and the Primary School. 

Cath Garret Jones (CSO Parent Liaison) will walk this new path with us as we plan for our first PEG meeting to be in early term 3. The PEG model has an educative component for parents and is not all about fundraising- so we welcome everyone to come along or to join us via zoom! We discussed zoom as a viable option for busy parents to be able to join in a meeting whilst still being at home with your family. We plan to give it a go! 

We think our first topic might be about the Leading Learning Collaborative journey that both schools have embarked upon as our diocesan initiative to improve teaching and learning across all Key Learning Areas. 

Our sincere thanks again to Jodi Connell our most recent P&F President and to all who have been involved over the years in our P&F and on a committeee. You each gave so generously of your time and effort for the benefit of the students! We have been blessed and we look to the future with hope that this new model may prove to be a successful way to link parents and carers to our schools. 

Building Works Update

The skip is gone...but we may yet need it back! We gratefully thank Central Waste Skips for their generous donation of the use of the skip bin to help our school with the move. There is temporary fencing up along the side wall of the hall as the recladding takes place this week. A new glass sliding door has been inserted and two new windows to enable air flow into the work spaces. 

Last Friday we had removalists in to move the big furniture items across to the back of the hall however the start date for the admin block refurbishment has been pushed back. Until further notice our admin staff and I will remain in the current building. We are ready to go so I will keep you updated when we know our new start date. 

Staffing News

We recently held interviews for the position of Learning Support Teacher (a part time position) at our school. This position has been created as Mrs Katherine Blake will soon take up a fulltime position as Learning Support Teacher at St Patrick's at Cessnock.  We warmly welcome Mrs Nicola Matheson as our new Learning Support Teacher for the remainder of 2021, following our recruitment process. Mrs Matheson has a keen interest in supporting the learning needs of all students; she has a passion for diverse learning; is an excellent practitioner and has great skills as a leading teacher of literacy. She is very collaborative in her approach. I welcome Nicola to our beautiful school community and I encurage you to introduce yourself to her when you can.  

Next week will be Mrs Blake's last week with us at Holy Spirit and we thank her for her years of dedication and service in supporting the learning needs of so many of our students over the recent years. Thank you Mrs Blake also for the support of the teachers and Learning Support Staff and we wish you every success in your new role at St Pat's. Both teachers will spend time next week completing a handover of information about our students with current learning needs. 

Mr Trevor Shakespeare our cleaner and maintenance person is reportedly recovering well from his recent surgery which is terrific news! 

AEDC Data Collection 

Across this week and part of next week our Kinder teachers Mrs Porter and Mrs Edwards have been collating data to input non identifiable information into the Australian Early Development Census for our kinder students. The data from the AEDC provides crucial evidence to guide decision-making and planning and ensure resources and services are better targeted towards supporting the future and wellbeing of children and families across Australia.  Whilst the teachers are completing the census Ms McBlane and Ms Orrett have been teaching Kinder classes this week. 

Holy Spirit Infants Self Review 

Next month we will have a Self Review as our school is in the third year of its current Continuum of School Improvement (COSI) cycle. This Self Review is an opportunity for us to stop and reflect upon the elements identified for further development in our External review from 2018 and how we are tracking with those goals. The goals form part of the school's current Strategic Plan and we will use various tools such as the National School Improvement Tool and the Catholic Identity Improvement Tool to check in and measure how we are tracking on our road to learning success and growth for all. We will also use elements of the data gathered in the Tell Them From Me parent survey of 2020 and we will also gather the student voice. Preparation for the Self Review is a collaborative process of reflecting, gathering evidence of our efforts and achievements and also being able to identify where we need to go next to ensure our school is offering the best catholic education it can for all our students.  Our Self Review will involve a panel of visitors to our school on June 21st who will be keen to see, hear and understand our school's learning journey.  

Shoe Lace Tying Lessons

Today our students had a lesson in learning to tie their shoelaces! Anthony and his team from Ascent Footwear (who have partnered with Athletes Foot) visited each classroom today to help teach the children this very important life skill...how to tie their shoe laces. The children enjoyed it and the teachers absolutely loved it!!! Each child will bring home a special "shoe" that they can continue to practice on at home. We are very grateful to Ascent Footwear for this terrific initiative! Lets see how they go! 

Have a wonderful fortnight and may the Holy Spirit bring blessings for your families,

Diane Murphy 

Semester One Reports

Our Semester One reports will be sent home electronically via Compass in week 9 this term. As part of the formal reporting process, parents and carers are encouraged to make an appointment with their child's class teacher to discuss your child's learning progress. A face to face meeting enables teachers to share work samples with parents/carers to highlight successes and areas for development. Teachers are able to answer questions you may have. These interviews will be available for bookings when our next newsletter is published and teachers will offer times before and after school across the week of 17th to 23rd June. We look forward to having these meaningful conversations with you. 

Acting Assistant Principals News

Welcome to Week 5!

Uniform 

What a chilly start to May we have had! A reminder that students are asked to wear their winter uniform now. The wearing of a school uniform creates a sense of collective and individual pride in our school as well as giving our students a sense of belonging. Equality is fostered by a uniform policy common to all students. We ask that students do not wear a mix of the Summer and Winter Uniform. Thank you. 

Safe Travel on the Bus

Families are encouraged to have regular conversations with their children about the importance of travelling to and from school on the bus in a safe manner.  Students are reminded to ensure that: 

• They remain seated at all times on the bus
• They must travel with an Opal card
• They keep noise to a minimum
• They are respectful to each other and the driver

Thank you for your support with this. We want all students to travel safely!

PBL

Our school is a Positive Behaviour for Learning School. The PBL framework assists schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural, and academic outcomes for children and young people.

Our Positive Behaviour for learning focus for weeks 5 and 6 is ‘I follow agreements when together in assemblies’ This focus contributes to becoming a respectful learner. We are teaching the children to respond to remain calm during the times we assemble together at school. Agreements were created by the children to remind them to be respectful during assemblies.

• I pay attention to the speaker.​
• I have my voice off during assembly.​
• Enter and exit the assembly quickly and quietly.​
• Show a calm body.​
• Hands and feet to self.

Each Monday the teachers introduce the PBL at morning assembly. In class time we talk about what this focus looks like and how we can show apply theses skills in different situations across the school. The following Monday a class reinforces this message by role playing the PBL focus.

When children are seen or heard following the PBL, they can receive Gotchas and select children who consistently follow this PBL focus are awarded with merit certificates at assembly.

COVID Intensive Learning Support program 

Our school is making the most of the state government's $337 million COVID intensive learning support program.

Designed to provide support for students after a tough year, the program sets up teachers and staff to deliver small-group tuition at every NSW school.

At Holy Spirit Infants School, learning enhancement groups have been established with a key focus on Year 1 and 2 students. We are targeting small groups of two to five students for intensive learning support. The focus of these groups is specific and responds to the student’s needs. Year One's focus is phoneme segmentation and nonsense word fluency- that is, the ability to break words down into individual sounds. These skills are important in developing reading and spelling skills. To write words, children must first be able to break the word down into its component sounds. 

Year 2's focus is Oral reading Fluency. Oral reading fluency is the ability to read connected text quickly, accurately, and with expression. 

Last year with interrupted learning it wasn't hard to realise that Kindergarten and year 1 students had massive interruptions. This intense learning support program aims to close the gap to make sure they're learning where they should be.

Through learning data, the impact of the program is measured every four weeks. Feedback is an important part of the process. My role as coordinator of the program allows me an opportunity to work closely with tutors and students as well as communicating with parents of those students who are involved in the program.

If you have any concerns or questions about this learning support, please phone the school.

Thank you, Courtney Porter, Acting Assistant Principal

Acting Religion News

PENTECOST

This coming Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, a day when we focus on the spirit of the Holy Trinity. Pentecost is the Church’s birthday, the day it was gifted with the presence of God through the Holy Spirit. It was the day the Church was given life, the life that is in us as we are entrusted to be the Church today; it is through us that God’s love is distributed throughout the world. The Church is the people of God, united and empowered by God to share God’s love with the world. However, this will occur only if we activate the potential of the Spirit within us. For most people their birthday offers the opportunity to have a think about their life over the past year and maybe set out a few achievement objectives for the coming year. Pentecost, the Church’s birthday, could be a time to have a look at how our life is going spiritually, that is, how the Spirit is active in our life.

Holy Spirit Infants will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost on Tuesday 25^th May. This will be an out of uniform day. Children are encouraged to come dressed in ‘flame colours’ (red, yellow or orange).

CONFIRMATION

Congratulations to all students who received the Sacrament of Confirmation on Wednesday night and to their families who continue to nurture and guide them on their faith and life journey!

Aboriginal Education News

Reconciliation in its broadest sense means ‘coming together’. Reconciliation has elements of truth, justice, forgiveness, healing, reparation, and love. Wednesday 26^th May is National Sorry Day and 27^th May- 3^rd June 2021 marks the 20^th National Reconciliation Week in Australia. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively. This year’s theme is, More than a word. Reconciliation takes action.

At the heart of reconciliation is the relationship between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. To foster positive race relations, our relationship must be grounded in a foundation of truth. National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. (https://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-reconciliation-week/).

In our classrooms next week students will listen to a beautiful book called Sorry, sorry written and illustrated by Anne Kerr. The book tells the history of the Indigenous peoples in a gentle way. Our students will also participate in some indigenous craft activities at the end of the week.  

Please join Holy Spirit Infants School community in praying for the continuing reconciliation between the wider Australian community and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Holy Father, God of Love,

You are the Creator of all things. We acknowledge the pain and shame of our history and the sufferings of Our peoples, and we ask your forgiveness.

We thank you for the survival of Indigenous cultures. Our hope is in you because you gave your Son Jesus to reconcile the world to you.

We pray for your strength and grace to forgive, accept and love one another, as you love us and forgive and accept us in the sacrifice of your Son. Give us the courage to accept the realities of our history so that we may build a better future for our Nation. Teach us to respect all cultures. Teach us to care for our land and waters.

Help us to share justly the resources of this land. Help us to bring about spiritual and social change to improve the quality of life for all groups in our communities, especially the disadvantaged. Help young people to find true dignity and self-esteem by your Spirit.

May your power and love be the foundations on which we build our families, our communities and our Nation, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

(Wontulp Bi-Buya Indigenous Theology Working Group 13 March 1997 Brisbane, Qld).

May we walk with care and respect upon this land.

Mrs Rebecca Cook

Aboriginal Education Teacher

Awards- Congratulations to:

Sport News

On the 7th of May several of our students in Year 2 who are turning 8 in 2021 attended the Primary Athletics Carnival at Biralee Oval. They were accompanied by Mrs Collingwood and Mr Ozimek. Our students had a great day and participated in distance running; age races as well as the field events of shot put and long jump. The children all did their best and we were proud that they had a go at these new skills. Some events at the Regional Carnival are grouped as junior events, that is across the ages of 8,9 and 10 year olds. When determining representatives for the next carnival, times and distances run/thrown/jumped by 8 year olds are compared to those of the 9 and 10 year olds as they are in the same category.  Therefore, given this information, congratulations to these children who will now represent our school at the Regional Carnival on 25th June at Maitland. 

8 year boys 100m Kade Power; Ashton Jeffrey

8 year girls 100m Chanelle Nichols

Jnr Boys 200m Kade Power

Jnr Girls 200m  Xanthie Smith

Jnr Boys 800m Ashton Jeffrey; Noah Barry 

Jnr Girls 800m Xanthie Smith

A permission note and details of the day will be sent home shortly.   Well done to all our "little athletes" who participated on the day. 

Want to be a Volunteer at our School

To be a volunteer in our school you MUST complete the forms in the Volunteers Handbook and hand them in at the school office. The volunteer handbook can be downloaded and completed online using the link below. Alternatively, hard copies can be collected from the office if you prefer. 
Please be aware that not all volunteers will require a Working with Children’s Check.  The Statutory Screening Selection Tool on page 26 of the Volunteer Handbook will determine this for you. However, it will indicate that a National Coordinated Criminal History Check will be required by ALL people who are completing the volunteer process. Please make yourself aware of your responsibilities by reading the Volunteers Induction Handbook carefully.
When you have completed the paperwork required from the Volunteers handbook, you can send it away to be verified by the Catholic Schools Office using the contacts provided, or you can hand it to the school office, and we will send it away for you. You will be notified within 6 weeks of sending away your application of the result.
When your documentation has been verified and given the all clear all volunteers must then complete an induction process at the school.
For further information, please see Dot or Lesley in the office.  We appreciate your understanding of the need for this process and look forward to you becoming a volunteer!

Office News

Second Hand Uniforms

Please contact Angela on 0414 858 309 for your second-hand uniform requirements.

School Fees

Thank you to those families who have commenced regular fee payments towards the annual account.  If any family is yet to commence their fee payments, please make arrangements promptly.  Fee statements will be emailed to fee payers at the end of the month.  If you require financial assistance with your school fees, please make contact with the school so an appointment with the principal can be made.

2022 Kindergarten Enrolments

Do you have a child who is ready to start Kinder in 2022?  The enrolment period is now open - please contact the school prior to 31st May to collect your enrolment pack.   Please share this information which your friends who may be considering Holy Spirit Infants for their child's education.

Book Club

Issue 4 closes on Thursday 10th June.  

Canteen News

Term 2 Meal Deal - 25th June.   The hotdog meal deal is now available to order on the QKR app.  The deal is $5 and includes a hotdog- choice of tomato or BBQ sauce and a drink- Chill J Orange Passio or Chill J Raspberry or water and 2 x chocolate chip cookies.   

Orders close on the app on 17th June.  

Bouncy Balls are now on sale (until stock is sold) from the canteen for $3 in the Special Buys tab in the Canteen menu on QKR.

Dates for your Diary

Community News