Term 4, Week 8, 2024
Dear Parents,
It gives me great pleasure to announce the teaching and school officer allocations for the 2025 school year at St Saviour's Primary.
2025 class lists have now been finalised and families will be informed of class placements on Tuesday December 3. After being in the newsletter for the last month, requests for specific teacher/friendship placements have now closed. Your child's teacher for 2025 will be sent home as a paper copy with the 2025 Booklist on Tuesday December 3. Following this, the students will then have the opportunity to meet their new teacher during the transition morning on Wednesday December 4. This transition morning is a fantastic way for your children to connect with their new teacher prior to the holidays.
2025 will see St Saviour's Primary move to 20 classes for the first time as we will have three Year 5 classes. You will see that one of the Year 2 classes is 'To Be Confirmed'. I am hoping to have this teacher finalised very shortly and will inform the community as soon as possible.
Classroom Teachers 2025
Prep:
Mrs Debbie Hawkins (Prep H), Mrs Janelle Wann (Prep W), Miss Mikaela Kliendienst (Prep K)
Year 1:
Mrs Paula Wagner (1W), Mrs Kristie Laing (1L), Mrs Sarah Nilon (nee Logan) (1N)
Year 2:
Mrs Fiona Case/Mrs Meghann Kimmorley (2CK), Mrs Karen Fuller (2F), To be confirmed
Year 3:
Mrs Cate Bell and Mrs Melinda Harkins (3BH), Mrs Katrina Bennett (3B) & Mrs Katie Horne (3H)
Year 4:
Mrs Nicole Cooper (4C), Mrs Rachel Harlen (4H) - Rachel is due back at St Saviour's at the beginning of Term 2 (term 1 teacher TBC) & Miss Taylor Morrison (4M)
Year 5:
Mrs Monica Conway (5C), Mrs Sara McHugh (5M) & Mrs Geraldine Priebbenow (5P)
Year 6:
Mrs Natalie O'Brien (6O), Mr Henry Logan (6L)
The teaching team will be assisted by our fantastic school officers: Mrs Kate Franzmann, Mrs Anna King, Mrs Elise Bishop, Mrs Samantha McKenzie, Mrs Tarsha Scotts, Mrs Kat Bird, Mrs Shelley Murphy, Mrs Narelle Jackson, Mrs Bee King, Mrs Mary Milton, Mrs Alex Sleba, Mrs Alyce Webster, Mrs Michelle Nicholls, Mr Liam Cantwell, Miss Sophie Risely and Miss Clare Boland.
The specialist teaching team includes Mrs Caley Croft (Learning Support), Mrs Siobhan Grundon (Learning Support), Mrs Anne Anderson (Teacher Librarian), Mr Brendan Luck (HPE), Mrs Rachel Kelly (Music and Drama) and we currently have an advertisement out for a teacher of a language other than English. This teacher will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Mrs Anne Woodcroft-Brown will continue in her role as School Counsellor, working 7 days per fortnight next year. Mr Warren Farquharson will continue as the School Groundsman and Mrs Roya Esmaeilani will continue as our IT Technician. Mrs Sophie Steinhardt will continue as our Wellbeing Officer. Renee Kilpatrick will continue to work in the tuckshop.
Finally the leadership team who will serve the St Saviour's Community in 2025 will consist of myself as Principal, Mrs Katie Hauser (Assistant Principal - Administration), Mrs Ann-Maree Ward (Assistant Principal - Religious Education) & Mrs Rebecca Thomas (Middle Leader).
Of course, the end of 2024 will also be a celebration of the contributions of those staff members who have given so much to the SSPS community. This year we farewell Ms Eliza Smith (maternity leave 12 months) and Mrs Linda Harris (leave for 12 months). Fittingly, Miss Margaret Doljanin will begin 2025 with us in her 50th year of teaching at St Saviour's Primary and will then move into retirement. We look forward to celebrating this milestone with Marg early in the year.
Mrs Luci Hogan and Mrs Natalie Lamb also remain on leave for 2025 as they continue to support their young children. Miss Lisa Kynoch has been working at St Joseph's College for a large part of this year in a Learning Support Role. Her status will be updated ASAP. I would also like to again welcome Taylor Morrison and Geraldine Priebbenow to our team at St Saviour's.
Have a fantastic weekend. I look forward to being able to recap some of the highlights of the 2024 school year in the final newsletter in week 10.
Sam Hannant
….experiencing FAITH in the Mercy Tradition
Dear families
Advent, or the time to wait and prepare for the Birth of Jesus, is a time of anticipation and reflection. Below is an excerpt from an article written by Fr Michael last weekend:
So, as we notice the changes in the seasons of the world, like the growth of the fig tree, so we should recognise the seasons of our own lives and hearts. As we approach Advent, now is the time to examine our lives, to promise ourselves to be a little prepared for the coming of Christ.
These weeks leading up to Advent are an opportunity for us to reflect on what needs to change in our lives if we are to be prepared for the time “heaven and earth will pass away”. Advent affords us the opportunity to reflect deeply on what the coming of Christ at Christmas (a sort of second coming each year) will mean to the way we relate to one another and to prayerfully return to our God. So, on some level, this gospel should invoke in us a need for change, a desire to make some small adjustment to our living so that God, and us, can love ourselves a little more.
The other aspect of this gospel calls us to HOPE rather than despair if we think we are not measuring up. Thoughts of the second coming should bring us hope because it is a subtle reminder that God has not, and never has, forgotten us. We hold onto “his words which will never pass away” because we know a God that has never left us. We move toward Advent confident that God will renew our lives to celebrate the second coming within our hearts, as Christ lifts us up to know God in his birth.
The new play space on our oval is being enjoyed by our students and part of the design included outdoor learning spaces, including our Yarning circle. We’d love to hear your ideas and thinking around how we can design this space in consultation with local artist Kim Walmsley. We want to hear your voice so that we can collaborate on ideas as to how we can best have this space reflect who we are as a community and in particular, those students who are First Australians. Email your thoughts and suggestions to ann-maree.ward@twb.catholic.edu.au Thank you for giving this your time and consideration.
St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal: This year, we are asking for donations of supermarket gift vouchers or cash donations. If you’re able to give, please bring your donation to the school office where the Admin team will place it in the Christmas gift box. The gift box will be presented to the St Patrick’s Cathedral Conference President at our final awards assembly on Thursday morning, 5th December.
Enrolments are now open for students from Years 4 and older (in 2025) in the St Patrick’s Cathedral 2025 Sacramental Program. Children who have already been Baptised complete their initiation into the Church through the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation and First Communion. This is a partnership in which families and the Parish community work together as your child is nurtured in the practice and love of the Catholic faith. An information session will be held early next year where you’ll be given a preparation workbook which is to be completed at home. The Enrolment forms, dates and details were sent home last week with the students in Year 3. If you’ve any questions or queries, please contact the Parish office on 46 371 500
Date claimers:
Week 9 Thursday 28th November – Anointing Mass (Year 4 students to attend)
Week 10 Thursday 5th December – End of Term Awards Assembly 8.45am Mercy Centre
Have a great week and thanks for reading,
Ann-Maree Ward (Assistant Principal – Mission & Identity)
Dear Families
The Stop, Drop and Go has been a big change for everyone this year. We have had multiple iterations of how it operates in terms of what area children are collected from and how parents access the line. As I stood in the rain this week texting names to my colleagues down the line, I reflected upon how difficult creating a new routine can be, but also how comforting it is when the routine is embedded. On a day when there were pretty tough conditions, knowing that everyone knew their job and the routine would carry us through helped us to get through the afternoon smoothly with no dramas. The benefits of routines in children’s lives cannot be understated. Routines can reduce moments of overwhelm, create a sense of structure and predictability, and provide opportunities to feel successful, even when there are many things out of their control. Over the next few weeks of school, when the end of year busyness ramps up and days become less predictable, I would encourage you to continue to follow consistent routines at home to set students up for positive days at school.
Thank you to all the parents who have patiently worked with us and adjusted along the way to cement the processes of Stop Drop and Go. As someone who is there every day (and probably can now recognise most SSPS family’s vehicles around town!) the process is becoming very smooth and automatic. Students are moving faster, parents are timing their arrivals and following the expectations for use, teachers are directing effectively. As any school will attest to, we will always have random days that don’t go well for whatever reason, and there will always be congestion in the school area from 2.50- 3.15, but generally by 3.20 things have slowed and by 3.30 you would not even know that over 300 families had collected their children.
Just a reminder around before and after school care arrangements. Teachers are officially on duty from 8.10 in the morning for supervision and until 3.30 in the afternoon. If students are at school outside of these hours, you can take advantage of the St Saviour’s Outside School Care service to ensure their care and safety.
There are several events to look forward to over the next couple of weeks. Next week we are excited to be celebrating our annual Christmas concert on Thursday the 28th in the Mercy Centre. Students have been working hard to prepare and are looking forward to performing. The Concert will be split into two with the Prep-Year 2 students performing from 5 – 5.45 and Year 3- Year 6 students performing from 6-7. There will be Food Vans on site as well as a Disco in the shed for the group of students not performing. You are invited to bring along a picnic rug, share a meal and have a dance with your children when students are not performing. Can you please RSVP to the form to let us know how many people are coming from your family. The RSVP link is - https://forms.office.com/r/pB0kciEkrV?origin=lprLink
Over the course of Week 10 we will be prioritising transitions for next year, with the new Prep students for 2025 having their last transition morning, as well as all current students spending time in their new classroom with their new teacher for 2025. You will find out which class your child will be in when report cards are released on Tuesday the 3rd of December. We are also very much looking forward to all of the end of year SSPS traditions with the Prep Nativity play on Wed the 4th of Dec, end of term awards Assembly on Thursday the 5th of Dec and Year 6 Graduation on Friday the 6th. School will finish at 1pm on Friday the 6th.
I am looking forward to finishing the year well and celebrating with you all at various events over the next couple of weeks.
Mrs Katie Hauser
Dear Parents,
As we near the end of another school year, we get ready to celebrate all the wonderful achievements of students at SSPS. As part of my role this year, I have had the fantastic opportunity to teach Drama to the whole school and look forward to presenting a student in Year 6 with the Cultural Award for 2024. To be eligible for the Cultural Award, students had to nominate themselves by writing a resume of their cultural achievements during their time at SSPS. Students were encouraged to include the following information:
*Achievements in Drama festivals over the years
* Musical instrument - how long have you been playing that instrument?
*Eisteddfod achievements in dance/drama/music
*Choir member? For how many years? Any solo performances for choir?
*Arts Festival 2023 - how did you participate? Dance groups?
*Mass choir - did you attend and sing at School/Parish Masses with the St Pat's choir?
*Any achievements outside school we should be aware of?
*Lead role in a play? and/or in charge of music/props in a play?
*Any other achievements you would like to mention.
All members of leadership have looked at the nominations and we look forward to presenting the cultural award to the deserving recipient at our final assembly in 2024.
Our final assembly also presents the opportunity to celebrate academic success and academic growth. In terms 2 and 4, our teachers present Phoenix Awards to students who make significant progress in one or more learning areas in a semester. These students are chosen by their class teacher and presented with a Phoenix medallion and certificate.
As we near the end of report cards, many students across all year levels also receive academic certificates for achieving mostly A’s and B’s on their report card, with the exception of one ‘C’ mark. It is wonderful to see the high volume of students who receive these certificates. Due to this, a member of Leadership will present these certificates during class time prior to the whole school assembly. An academic medallion is then awarded to any student who receives straight A’s on their report card, and this is also presented at the final assembly for 2024. In the area of art - visual art, music, drama and technology, media, digital and design - marks are combined and averaged out.
We look forward to acknowledging many students in the coming weeks for their achievements in 2024.
Christmas Concert:
Please note the following details for where students need to meet their teachers for the Christmas concert next Thursday:
Prep – Year 2 All Students are to start arriving from 4:30 – 4:45pm:
Prep – Meet their teachers in the hall on the stage.
Year 1 – Meet their teachers outside the tuckshop in the hall.
Year 2 – Meet their teachers at the back of the hall.
** Once your child is with their teacher, please find a seat in the hall. A reminder to allow time to find a park and please no prams in the hall.
Year 3 – Year 6 Concert Change over time will be approximately 5:45. Please ensure your child meets their teacher in the following areas:
Year 3 – Meet their teachers in the hall on the stage.
Year 4 – Meet their teachers in front of the tuckshop in the hall.
Year 5 – Meet their teachers at the back of the hall
Year 6 – Meet their teachers in the library.
While the Prep to Year 2 concert is on, students in Years 3 -6 will enjoy a disco in the shed on the oval. The prep to Year 2 students will enjoy their disco during the Year 3 – 6 performances. Please note, parents are to supervise their child during the disco. There will be food trucks on the oval if you wish to purchase dinner and enjoy a picnic on the oval.
We are very excited for students to present their performances next week and showcase all of their hard work!
Kind regards,
Bec Thomas
Marg Dolijanin Medallion
The Marg Dolijanin Medallion was introduced in 2021 to acknowledge a Year Six student each year who displays exemplary sporting ability throughout their final year of schooling. Miss Doljanin is about to commence her 50th year of teaching at St Saviour’s Primary in 2025. Over these years Miss Doljanin has been instrumental in sport at St Saviour’s Primary. Amongst her achievements are the fact that Miss Doljanin was the very first PE teacher at St Saviour’s Primary. To do this she would take other classes for sport whilst her class was at music or drama. She has organised many athletics, swimming and netball carnivals at school level, Catholic Sport Level and Regional Level. Miss Doljanin coached Darling Downs Netball teams for many years, winning the state title twice and was also a QLD selector for netball and due to this is a life member with QLD Primary Schools Netball. Miss Doljanin still helps organise athletics carnivals and coaches athletics in the morning. She has always been a supportive sounding board for both Mr Hannant and Mr Luck as PE teachers over the last few years. Miss Dolijanin has spent countless hours over the years helping students to become the best versions of themselves in their chosen discipline or sport. St Saviour’s Primary thanks Miss Dolijanin for all her hard work over her time at our school.
To be considered for this award students need to qualify and represent St Saviour’s Primary in the Central Zone/Toowoomba, Darling Downs and State teams. Points are then awarded to students throughout the school year with two points given for making a Central Zone/Toowoomba team, four points for making a Darling Downs team and six points for making a State team. We are very excited to announce our recipient of the Marg Dolijanin Medallion at our Week Ten assembly. If you have any questions regarding the Marg Dolijanin Medallion, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr Brendan Luck at Brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au.
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.
Cheers
Brendan Luck
HPE Teacher
brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au
High Importance!
Thank you for assisting with the return of library books!
We still have 243 unreturned student loans so please check if your child has received a reminder notice this week!
One last opportunity to borrow for the Summer break – next Monday at the start of lunch-time. Students will need their library bags!
Progress Report on Covering New Home Readers
Thanks to the ongoing efforts of our wonderful volunteers, we are halfway through this task. There is still time for new volunteers to take a small bundle home to cover!
Shout out to; Jodie Griffin, Emma Somerfield, Penelope Pole, Ange Bonsey, Helen Maddison, Michelle Nichols, Renee Kilpatrick, Susan Bracken, Melinda Harkins, Annetia Williams,Merryl Nunn and Donna Enders for your great work.
Family Book Club
We chose “The Case of the Polar Poachers” from the Einstein the Penguin series by Iona Rangeley for our next read. This is a family friendly story with lots to love so please join in by reading the story together over the holidays. We will meet over afternoon tea during Term 1 to hear what you thought of the book.
Copies available for purchase online from Pegi Williams Bookshop PEGI WILLIAMS BOOK SHOP - Children's Book Specialists (see below) or order from any of our local bookshops.
