Newsletter 9 – 14 June 2023

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

What a busy couple of weeks it has been.

LifeLink Launch

Last Wednesday, Mrs Keightley and I had the privilege of attending the LifeLink launch, held at Newman College, with Jye, Livia and Isabella from Year 6. We listened to Archbishop Timothy Costelloe talk to us about the various agencies that LifeLink supports and why it is important that we follow in Jesus’ footsteps and continue to serve those in our communities who are in need. Archbishop Costelloe reminded us of the Gospel of Matthew 25:35-36:

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome, lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.”

This Gospel served as a pertinent reminder that every time we do something to help our fellow brothers and sisters, we do it for Christ, for Christ is in each of us.

In class, our students will be exploring the various issues that people in need, here in Perth, face e.g. homelessness, insufficient food, lack of access to medical provisions. Students will search through the newspaper to identify these needs and what is currently being done to support individuals in need and stop the injustices they experience. In groups, they will create a collage of headlines, phrases and words that capture the issues that LifeLink agencies address in the Perth Archdiocese. These collages will be displayed in the grounds of the St Mary’s Cathedral prior to the celebration of the Solemnity of Saint Mary of the Cross, Australia’s beloved patron saint.

First Eucharist

Our Year 4 students received the sacrament of Eucharist for the first time on Sunday morning. It was fitting that their First Eucharist took place on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi is Latin for the ‘Body of Christ’. The solemnity celebrates the tradition and belief that the Eucharist is the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Receiving Christ through the sacrament of Eucharist is such a blessing; one which should never be taken for granted.

Thank you to Miss Sinclair for preparing our Year 4s so very well and to our parents for allowing us to be a part of their family faith journey. May we keep praying that our Year 4 students will continue to seek Jesus in the Eucharist and come to know Him better through listening to his Word and through prayer.

Reports

Our class teachers are busy finalising assessments and preparing the Mid-Year Reports. The Mid-Year Report provides parents with a ‘snapshot in time’ of how their child is progressing in relation to the end of year achievement standard, for each learning area, for their year level. The grade provided takes into account the curriculum which has been taught and assessed to that point in time.

The End of Year Report provides parents with an overview of how their child has progressed, across the entire year, in relation to the end of year Achievement Standard for each learning area, for their year level. The grade provided takes into account the curriculum which has been taught and assessed across the entire year, not just the second half of the year.

Is a ‘C’ grade good?

Yes, you should celebrate C grades as this indicates that your child has achieved the desired level of understanding for his/her year level.

A ‘C’ grade in not ‘just a pass’ like it used to be? A ‘C’ grade today, is the expected Achievement Standard for each year level and each Learning Area.

Does an ‘A’ or ‘B’ grade mean my child is working a year or two above their current grade? No, an ‘A’ or ‘B’ grade means that your child is demonstrating a deeper level of understanding than expected for their year level.

How are final grades determined?

Teachers analyse numerous samples of work and assessments to determine the final grade. The grade is determined in accordance with the School Curriculum and Standards Authority’s (SCSA) Judging Standards. For more information on this go to https://parent.scsa.wa.edu.au/

Canteen

We are very fortunate to still have a canteen operating on site here at St Pius X. Lindi, our canteen manager, does a fantastic job providing our students with a range of healthy food options. If you are able to assist in the canteen on a Wednesday or Friday morning, your help will be greatly appreciated. There is a parent roster up on the wall outside the canteen. If you have some time to spare, please put your name down to offer a helping hand. We encourage our students to engage in acts of service; it is very powerful when they see parents engaging in acts of service, too.

Wishing you all a gentle end to the week.

God bless,

Melissa Vranjes
Principal

Mrs Keightley and our Year 6 students in the Newman College auditorium eagerly awaiting the LifeLink launch to commence.

Last Friday night, our Kindy – Year 2 students came together for their Movie Night. They snuggled together in their pyjamas and blankets, and enjoyed a serve of popcorn among other snacks, as they watched their respective movies.

This Friday our Year 3-6 students will have their Movie Night. The Lego Movie 2 will be on show. We hope to have as many of our Year 3-6s attend. Our P&F have gone to a lot of effort to provide our students with this opportunity to come together and enjoy one another’s company in a relaxed and safe setting. Pizza, popcorn, great company and movie; what more could one ask for?

Student Achievements – Italian Festival Competition.

We would like to congratulate Elvy Novak for winning the Kindy Award for the AWCC Italian Festival Primary School Students’ Competition 2023.

Elvy and her family attended the Presentation of Awards at Italo recently.

We would also like to congratulate Lucia Barone ( Kindy), Michelle Lazuardi (Year 1) and Claire Leona (Year 2) who have been awarded a Merit Certificate for submitting an entry which reflects a very high standard of achievement, great personal effort and creativity.

Many thanks to our wonderful Italian Teacher Signore Gangemi for her support and enthusiasm during the Italian Festival.

On Thursday the Kindy children were visited by the wonderful team at Scitech. The children explored the world of science through toys and fun. This program is designed for little scientists aged up to five and is divided into four learning areas, children can explore: Light, Push & Pull, Living Things, and Sound. The program gives children a fun and interactive environment to find answers to the questions: “why?”, “how?” and “what if?”

Mrs Kucan
Kindergarten Teacher

On Wednesday 7^th June, the Year 1 class braved the weather and visited Kalamunda History Village. We turned back the clock and dressed up in an olden day outfit to fully embrace what life was like in the past. We were greeted at the Post Office and then made our way to the train station platform where we had some free play on the steam train. We then broke into groups to complete guided activities. We explored a very small olden day cottage that housed a family of 8. The house had no electricity and the two boys of the family slept head to toe in a bed on the back deck. We learnt how the wives and daughters used a washboard and wringer to clean their clothes and we made a peg doll to take home. It was interesting to compare our school to a school in the past. There was not a lot the same as children sat in rows on wooden tables and chairs and wrote on slate boards. We also saw how the cane was used when children misbehaved, ouch! We were shown what things were available in a local store, the running of an orchard and played with a heap of olden day toys. It was a great day out and we loved seeing and making connections to things we had discussed in class. We are feeling very grateful for everything we have available to us today which makes our life a lot easier and a lot more fun. Back to the present we go!

Mrs Trimble
Year 1 Teacher