Week 4, Term 1, 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
Thanks to those who were able to attend the parent information sessions last Wednesday night. During the leadership presentation, it was a pleasure to launch the 2024-2026 Strategic Plan which can be found on our website https://sspstwb.schoolzineplus.com/_file/media/8112/strategic_plan_2024_2026.pdf
From this plan, we also spoke of our annual priorities for 2024. Our annual action plan is split into four sections - Engaged Students (Learning), Being Distinctively Catholic, Valuing People and Using Resources Wisely. Today I would like to mention our target for valuing people:
Create and implement a whole school wellbeing approach so all stakeholders are valued and supported
To support this target, several initiatives are already taking place at St Saviour's Primary:
- Teachers have had an initial training day in restorative practices (Restorative Practices assists teachers, students and parents to build, maintain and restore relationships. Restorative Practices are proven to help build capacity to enable students to self regulate behaviour which can contribute to the improvement of learning outcomes)
- Mrs Constance Bailey has commenced in her position as Wellbeing Officer. Constance is able to support with attendance concerns, family separation, friendship issues, a loss in the family etc.
- A wellbeing space has been introduced at lunch time in between our temporary library and the 3B classroom. This is a space where children can have some 'quiet' time, rather than playing competitive games during their break.
We are working on several more parts to our wellbeing plan and I look forward to sharing these with you as the year progresses.
Staffing Information
Congratulations to Lisa Kynoch (3K) teacher who has taken up a Learning Support Position at St Joseph's College in Toowoomba. Lisa has a keen interest in learning support and was the acting learning support teacher at St Saviour's Primary for a part of last year. The recruitment process is currently underway to find a replacement for Lisa. Thanks to the parents of 3K for your understanding.
Student Protection Contacts
Our student protection contacts have been updated for the 2024 school year. They are:
Sam Hannant - Principal
Katie Hauser - Assistant Principal
Anne Woodcroft-Brown - School Counsellor
Deb Hawkins - Teacher
Of course, students are welcome to talk to any member of staff if they are feeling unsafe for any reason.
Enjoy the remainder of your week!
Sam Hannant
As part of the latest Enterprise Collective Agreement, St Saviour’s Primary School recognises and respects the right of employees to disconnect from work and not respond to work-related electronic communications outside of designated hours. As such, the attached protocols have been developed to come into effect from Monday 19th February.
The main part of this document relates to response times for electronic communication which states:
St Saviour’s Primary School staff will reply to electronic communication within the hours of 8.00am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday. This will take place within 24 - 48 hours after receiving the original correspondence.
This relates to communications from the employer, principal, outside organisations and parents.
Please read the full document below and thank-you for your understanding.
….experiencing FAITH in the Mercy Tradition
Dear Parents and Carers - Welcome to Week 4! Nearly half way through the term already! Can someone tell me how to stop time from moving so quickly please?
Our Term One fundraiser for Project Compassion has begun! Beginning today, Ash Wednesday, is the Lenten season. Lent is 40 days from Wednesday February 14 through to Holy Saturday March 30 where we make the time to stop and listen to our God. Prayer, fasting and giving to those in need is the focus for us during Lent.
Launch Mass on Sunday 11th February – Project Compassion Thank you to Lily, Parker and Joe for representing SSPS at Mass on Sunday. They were invited to be part of the Diocesan launch for Project Compassion and were commissioned to go into our school community as ambassadors to promote social justice. Take a look at the website, https://schools.projectcompassion.org.au/stories to read more about how the funds we raise this term will assist those in need.
If you’d like to donate click here https://schools.projectcompassion.org.au/o/st-saviours-primary-school-toowoomba We encourage the students to bring in any coins they may have to add to the Project Compassion boxes in their classrooms.
Wednesday 14th February – Ash Wednesday – Students in Years 3 -6 Ash Wednesday Liturgy attended their Liturgy at St Patrick’s Cathedral and Fr Michael visited the Prep – 2 classrooms throughout the morning. “Let’s be the best people we can be by giving, praying and fasting.” We spoke about if you “give up something for Lent” the idea is for us to think about those who go without all the time. Fr Michael reminded us to spend time this Lent to sit quietly and listen to God. The letters in SILENT also spell LISTEN. I hope you find time to sit in silence each day this Lenten season.
Pastoral Care for 2024 – If you know someone who is in need in our community, please let us know how we can provide practical helping hand to them. It could be as a simple as a phone call, arranging transport or providing networks of support. Thank you for assisting us to be able to reach out to those families. Give the office a call on 46 371 700 or email me on ann-maree.ward@twb.catholic.edu.au
Sacramental Program 2024 –
Students are invited to prepare for, and celebrate, the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation and Communion in Terms 1 & 2 this year. From this year and onwards, the program will be run directly through St Patrick’s Cathedral office, not the school. If you’d like your child to enrol your child/ren in the 2024 Sacramental Program, contact the Parish office directly Ph 46 371 500 or email admin@stpats.org.au The Parent information session will be held on Thursday 15th February at 7pm in the Cathedral centre.
A prayer to take with you into the weeks ahead…..The Power of a Whisper
Slow me down today, Lord,
and whisper a word or two - or more,
in the quiet of my mind and heart...
When I'm cursing myself or others,
whisper words of blessing...
When I'm judging another's words and deeds,
whisper words of patience...
When my voice is still and silent,
whisper words that I might speak...
When I'm saying much too much,
whisper words to shut me up...
When I've failed and when I've sinned,
whisper words of pardon...
When I'm facing loss and grief,
whisper words of consolation...
When I'm stuck in my own foolishness,
whisper words of wisdom...
When I'm confounded and confused,
whisper words of counsel...
When I'm caught up in my lies,
whisper words of truth.
When life is just too tough to take,
whisper words of hope...
When my heart is broken, hurt and wounded,
whisper words of healing...
When I'm at war with my neighbor or myself,
whisper words of peace...
Slow me down, Lord,
and help me find a quiet place to hear
the whisper of your word...
Slow me down today, Lord,
and whisper a word or two - or more,
in the quiet of my mind and heart...
Amen.
- Rev. Austin Fleming
Have a great week and thanks for reading!
Ann-Maree
Our Year 6 students pictured below on Shrove Tuesday beginning their Lenten journey with a prayer circle and pancakes kindly made by Mrs O'Brien.
It has been a pleasure learning about our school community over the last two weeks. Visiting classrooms, interacting with students in the playground and trying hard to learn names has been high on my priority list. Seeing the learner qualities on display in classrooms across all levels of the school reveals the culture of high expectations around student learning that exist within our school.
Another way to gain a grasp of our school context is to look at the school rules that define the boundaries of our community. The four school rules, be safe, be responsible, be a learner, be respectful help students to focus on positive actions that guide their behaviour.
Teachers will be unpacking with students the school rules and what that looks like in real day to day terms. Behaviours that would typify being respectful in the playground include students:
- Keeping hands and feet to themselves rather than lashing out.
- Speaking using appropriate school language, rather than using words that may hurt or offend.
- Calling each other by their names, rather than names that hurt or harm.
Being respectful means that fundamentally we see the value in ourselves, others and our relationships. Like any developmental area, the ability to understand how our actions impact and are perceived by others is at varying levels for students across the school. Using the restorative approach where we focus on repairing harm through a compassionate lens, students are guided to listen to perspectives, take ownership of their behaviour, have a voice in how to solve their problem and accept the natural consequences that will come from their actions.
Katie Hauser
Dear Parents,
As you would be aware, we are working with our teachers to familiarise staff with Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum. One of the big changes this year will be in the lower years, where we are shifting to a synthetic phonics approach which includes decodable readers. Last week staff in Prep – Grade 2 attended a workshop run by Decodable Readers Australia. Decodable Readers Australia will support our staff in the teaching of phonics which aligns directly to the implementation of Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum and our new diocesan approach to reading. This workshop was extremely practical and well received by teachers, who gained a greater insight into how a synthetic phonics approach works.
Some of the key messages of the day include:
- Children must master the alphabetic code to be able to successfully blend and segment words together.
- Decodable books encourage children to sound out words using decodingstrategies rather than guessing from pictures or predicting from other cues.
- Decodable books start simple (at a child’s level) and as children masters more of the alphabetic code and progress through a series of decodable books, the vocabulary and story structurebecome more sophisticated, which builds on a child’s language and comprehension skills.
- Decodable texts are not the only texts a child should read. Teachers and parents should read high quality children’s literature that contains more complex vocabularyand sentence structures with students every day.
For parents of early years children, this means encouraging your child to have a go at using their alphabetic knowledge when attempting unknown words and reading with your child to model great reading and a love of reading.
Happy reading,
Bec Thomas
- We find stories in the history of someone's life.
- Humans need stories because they help grow our knowledge of the world. (Albie and Jonty)
- A library is the best place to share what we've read.
- There will definitely be a book in the library with a story to suit your personality. (Nina and Joy)
- The best thing about a story is relating to the scenes in your head (Jaishan)
- We share stories because people may love to hear them.
- Humans need stories to help them understand things in different worlds. (Indie and Marlie)
- We explore new experiences through stories.
- Stories can provide us with excitement. (Sophia)
- Stories impact our emotions by making us experience different feelings. (Eli and George)
- True stories can warn us, excite us, make us laugh, add to our enjoyment and help us in life. (Samantha and Jemma)
- We can feel grateful for beautiful stories. (Millie and Abby)
- We discover what emotions feel like and how it would feel if we were in the situations found in stories. (Bryce and Liam)
- Libraries allow us to listen to stories and to think about their meaning.
- Stories can bring us action, investigations, science and friendship. (Pippa and Blair)
- It is important to share what we liked and didn't like about a story. (Tia and Thea)
- Humans need stories because they bring us together.
- Stories grow our imagination and give us different ideas and perspectives about life. (Xavier)
- We keep stories alive by telling them to each other and by adding to them. (Jake)
Family Book Club News
We will gather to chat about The Island of Dr Libris next Wednesday 21st February in Ms Harlen’s classroom around 3.20pm. Everyone is welcome!
Spend some time sharing stories during the next few days!
Anne Anderson - Teacher Librarian
Catholic Schools Swimming Carnival
On Friday the 9th of February, St Saviour’s Primary students competed in the Catholic Schools Swimming Carnival at Glennie Aquatic Centre. These students are to be commended for the way they represented their school in swimming and behaviour on the day. Students swam their hearts out and many students placed in the top four in their heats and relays (picture below). Students who attended are listed below.
- Jemma McHugh
- Chelsea Ray
- Orla McDonald
- Cooper Skuse
- Xavier Adams
- Nina Lucas
- Indi Brookman
- Madeline Franklin
- Letti Stephenson
- Akech Adol
- Drew Densley
- Lachlan Scott
- Darcy Phillips
- Jet Butel
- Liam Enders
- Emily Carrigan
- Emily Bignell
- Sienna Grice
- Georgie Hedge
- Liam McHugh
- Oliver O'Toole
- Chase Hartwig
- Sophie Enders
- Isabelle Thomas
- Lily Brrokman
- Rose Stead
- Jaxon Jessep
Central Zone Swimming Carnival
On Tuesday the 13th of February, students from St Saviour’s Primary competed in the Central Zone Swimming Carnival at Glennie Aquatic Centre. They competed against other schools to try and qualify for the Darling Downs carnival which will be held in Gatton on the 28th of February (picture below). Five students made it through to the next level and will be representing the Central Zone Team in Gatton. Students who attended listed below.
- Cooper Skuse
- Jemma McHugh
- Chelsea Ray
- Drew Densley
- Lachlan Scott
- Darcy Phillips
- Liam Enders
- Nina Lucas
- Indi Brookman
- Madeline Franklin
- Liam McHugh
- Oliver O'Toole
- Chase Hartwig
- Georgie Hedge
- Emily Bignell
- Emily Carrigan
- Sophie Enders
- Isabelle Thomas
- Lily Brookman
- Rose Stead
Students competing at the Darling Downs Trials.
- Emily Bignell
- Sophie Enders
- Georgie Hedge
- Drew Densley
- Liam McHugh
Fitness Club
Fitness Club started up again last week with between 40 - 50 students attending (picture below). Fitness club is a fun way for your child to work on their fitness with their peers in preparation for the SSPS Cross Country in the last week of Term One. These sessions are offered to students in Year Three to Year Six. Fitness Club runs every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 7:15am - 8am running till Thursday 21st of March 2024. Your child is welcome to attend all sessions, once a week or whatever suits your family schedule. Thank you to Mrs McHugh, Mrs Wagner, Mrs Harris and Mr Logan for helping with running these sessions. If you have any questions, please email me via Brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au.
Athletics Champ
Congratulations to Rose Stead on her outstanding achievements at the Regional Little Athletics Championships over the weekend. Winning gold in the 400m, 800m, and 1500m is an incredible accomplishment, showcasing her exceptional talent and dedication to athletics. Rose you are a superstar (picture below).
Zone and Darling Downs Trials
All Zone and Darling Downs trials will be placed on Parent Portal. Please check Parent Portal regularly or set up notifications on your phone if you wish for your child to be eligible to trial for Zone and Darling Downs sporting teams as you will be required to obtain paperwork from myself. I am unable to nominate students after the closing date so please make sure you do keep an eye on Parent Portal. Any questions, please contact me at brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au.
Upcoming Events (Term One)
- Swimming Lessons (Year 3 – Year 6) 19 – 23rd
- Regional Swimming Carnival – 28th
- Swimming Lessons (Prep – Year 2) 11 – 15th
- SSPS Junior Swimming Carnival (Prep – Year 2) Monday, 25th March (9am – 12:30pm).
- T-Ball Gala Day (Year Four) Tuesday 26th
- SSPS Cross Country (Prep – Year 6) Thursday, 28th
- Fitness Club – 6th February to 21st March (every Tuesday and Thursday).
Cheers
Brendan Luck
HPE Teacher
brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au
Toowoomba Basketball
Mini Neers - is our premier community program run over 6-weeks during the school term designed to introduce kids to basketball from ages 6-14 and split into three groups Dribblers, Hoopers and Rising Stars. Our expert coaches not only help kids build confidence in sport using Basketball as a vehicle, but also aim to develop better people, through our unique positive choices character-based curriculum skills, focussing on helping others, goal setting, and building resilience in life.
Neers Academy - is our premier development program. The Toowoomba Mountaineers programs are an integral part of the Mountaineers Development Pathway. Helping to identify Toowoomba athletes, who demonstrate the potential to be representative athletes in the future. The Neers Academy Program focuses on teaching male and female athletes the following - advanced skill acquisition, game concepts and style of player with an emphasis on individual player development.
Please click on link below to access further information and registration.
Census Data Collection:
Reminders:
School Photo Day is being held on Tuesday March 5. Photo Envelopes have been sent home to each child for ordering purposes. Attached to today's Newsletter is information on the ordering process. Onlilne ordering is preferred.
Sibling Photos
If you require a Sibling Photo envelope please collect one from the office before Photo Day.
School Locker Uniform Shop:
Opening Hours
Monday's 7.30am - 10.00am
Thursday's 2.00pm - 4.30pm
Volunteering at school:
Please ensure you complete the following forms before you volunteer at school in any capacity.
Once completed please return the Volunteer Declaration Form to the office for processing. Hard copies are available to collect from the office.
School Fees:
Term 1 School Fees are due next Friday 23 February. Payment can be made via eftpos/cash or direct deposit.
To set up a Direct Deposit please use the following bank details:
-
- Account Name: St Saviour’s Primary Account
- BSB: 064-786
- Account Number: 100025243
- Bank: Commonwealth Bank of Australia
- Branch: ADF
Prep car park:
- St Patrick's Cathedral carpark (Lawrence Street)
- Toowoomba Catholic Schools carpark (Lawrence Street)
- Lawrence Street parking
- Perth Street parking
- Neil Street parking
If you are using the Prep carpark, please do not park other families in (double park). This not only creates more congestion, but also holds up families from leaving once they collect their child. Please adhere to the carpark rules as building works continue in and around our school.
Prep 2025:
Applications for Prep 2025 are now being taken. We urge your to place your application as soon as possible as numbers are filling quickly for Prep 2025. Interviews for Prep 2025 will be taking place very soon. Parent who have already submitted applications will be contacted to arrange an interview time.
Enrolment Application | St Saviour’s Primary School Toowoomba (twb.catholic.edu.au)
Swimming lessons commence next week for all grades (Prep-6)
Reminder to parents to please pack your child's swimming bag each day. Children will be bused to and from the Glennie Pool for their lessons each day. Children are permitted to wear their sports uniform for the week. We encourage you to name all items of swimwear including togs, towels, goggles etc. Slides/Thongs/Crocs can be worn to and from the pool. The cost of swimming lessons is incorporated into the yearly school fees.
Year 6 Retreat Day:
Year 6 had their Retreat Day in Week 2 and it was a huge success – this was because the students turned up ready to engage in the day’s events. The students learnt about leadership from a range of guests, all about our bee theme, about being vulnerable, about how to be their best self, creation of class prayer mats, concluding with writing a letter to their future self that they will read at graduation to themselves.
Special thanks to our Toowomba Mayor Mr Geoff McDonald, Member for Toowoomba South, Mr David Janetzki and Federal Member for Groom, Mr Garth Hamilton for giving up their time and coming to speak to our Year 6 students.
