Term 2 - Week 10 (23rd June)

Student Protection Contacts

From The Principal

Building a ‘Growth Mindset’ - It is important to note, that the learning taking place every day in your child’s life, is a part of a greater journey. It is therefore important, that we focus on their growth and effort.
Reports were released on the portal yesterday. Sometimes we can find ourselves focusing on the ‘final mark’ instead of the effort and progress that our children have made. Conversations should focus on their improvement in their effort or progress. This encourages in our children a belief that the effort that they have invested has driven improvement and a belief that they can improve. This building of a self-belief that we can always improve, will set them up positively for the learning to come in Semester 2. Conversely, conversations that try to lessen the blow by taking the focus off the importance of effort, creates a fixed and ‘out of my hands’ mind set. An example of this is telling your child that ‘I was never good at that either’. This tells students that success is inherited and that their effort is a waste of time.
So how can a parent develop a growth mindset in children? Here are two simple ideas to get started:

1. Praise effort, strategy and action - not results - This type of encouragement, helps children develop the belief that success has more to do with what they do, rather than born gifts or talents.
2. Give honest feedback- Honest feedback about their performance not only helps them improve, but also promotes a growth mindset. Sometimes we avoid giving feedback to protect a child’s self-esteem. However, by being sensitive to how we provide feedback, ensures that our children are not negatively affected. For example, focusing on two or three things your child did well before giving constructive feedback; that is, feedback that will help them improve.

As always, please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions about your child’s report and their efforts.

Farewell and best wishes – On Monday, as part of our assembly, we farewelled Mrs Betty Davison and Mrs Megan Radford.
‘Mrs Betty’, as the children know her, has worked as our uniform shop convenor for many years, but overall, has been involved as an integral part of our community for more than 20 years. While Betty moves into a well-deserved retirement, Mrs Radford, our Year 5 teacher, is moving onto a very different chapter in her life as she and her husband Luke, await the arrival of their first child. We wish both Betty and Megan all the best for the months and years ahead and thank them for their wonderful contributions that they have made to our community.

A well-deserved rest – This being the last newsletter for the term and Semester 1, I would like to thank you for your continued support of your children and the extremely valuable home-school partnership that you continue to develop with your child’s teachers. I would also like to thank our teachers and all of our support officers for their tireless work this term. It is their energy and enthusiasm that continues to support our positive and vibrant learning culture, even on the most challenging of days. I wish everyone a safe break. We look forward to seeing all children return to school on Tuesday 11^th July.

God bless.
Mr Tyronne Maher

From The APRE

Sacred Heart Day
Last Friday we designated the whole day to celebrating the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Our parish priest, Fr Roque, visited all our classes the day before to talk to the children about the significance of our Feast day. We started the day in our classes to create a little artwork that we later brought together to create an artwork for the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Arts Fest. We then boarded buses and had a big play in Queens Park. On returning to school, we enjoyed a sausage sizzle and then joined together for a special Liturgy in our Sacred Heart Parish Church. Thank you to the Parent Engagement Network for supplying the morning tea and lunch for the students and staff. Thank you also to Mrs Kym Norman, our tuckshop convenor and the mothers who volunteered to help her prepare the lunch! I would also like to thank Fr Roque for sharing your time with our school so we all understand what Sacred Heart Day is all about.

Assembly
2A lead a beautiful prayer of thanks for Mrs Betty Davison and Mrs Megan Radford. Mrs Betty Davison has been our uniform shop convenor for over 20 years and leaves us to enjoy her retirement. Mrs Megan Radford has been our Year 5 teacher for just this year, however, I know she has made a huge impact on our Year 5s for the strong sense of community that she has developed with them as well as her dedication to planning and teaching engaging lessons! Mrs Radford leaves us to prepare for the arrival of her first baby later next term! We pray that both Betty and Megan enjoy the next season of their lives and thank them for all they have contributed to Sacred Heart! Thank you to those parents who were able to join us for an afternoon tea after Assembly to farewell Megan and Betty and thank you to the Parent Engagement Network for kindly supplying the afternoon tea.
Mrs Alice Lucas

Prayer of the Week

Image retrieved from: Farewell Prayer - Blessings for Friends & Teachers! (lords-prayer-words.com)

From the Learning Support Teacher

From the 1^st July, the age of children supported under the NDIS early childhood approach is changing from under 7 years to include children younger than 9.  This change will occur over the next 2 years. This will ensure children and their families are supported by an early childhood partner during and after they transition to primary school.
Children who are currently NDIS participants turning 7, will remain with their early childhood partner until they turn 9, if they require support up to this age.
Children who are currently NDIS participants, who are turning 7 before the 1 July 2023, will transition to a local area coordination partner, as is the current process.
Children younger than 9 with a permanent disability, who are new to the NDIS from the 1 July 2023, will be supported by an early childhood partner.
Children younger than 6 will continue being supported by an early childhood partner if they have:

• a permanent disability
• developmental delay
• developmental concerns.

You can contact the NDIS by calling 1800 800 110, email enquiries@ndis.gov.au.  The NDIS Early Childhood partner in Toowoomba, Uniting Care, can be contacted on 1800 543 354.
Mrs Genny McNair

From The Middle Leader/Curriculum Co-ordinator

Progressions in Learning How to Spell
We hope this fortnight finds you well and excited about the progress of our students at this halfway point of their 2023 educational journey. The focus this newsletter is on an essential aspect of literacy: spelling. Spelling is a fundamental skill that plays a significant role in communication and language development. Let's explore the progressions in learning how to spell and how we support our students in this important area.

Early Years: Building Foundations In the early years of schooling, students begin to develop their spelling abilities through exposure to phonics and basic letter-sound relationships. They learn to recognise and write individual letters, form simple words, and understand the concept of syllables. Teachers incorporate engaging activities, such as rhyming games and word families, to make the learning experience enjoyable and interactive.

Middle Years: Expanding Vocabulary As students progress into the middle years, their spelling skills become more sophisticated. They expand their vocabulary and encounter more complex words. At this stage, they learn about spelling patterns, prefixes, suffixes, and root words. They explore word origins and etymology to understand the connections between words and their meanings. Additionally, teachers introduce strategies such as mnemonics, word association, and visualisation techniques to aid spelling retention.

Upper Years: Refining Spelling Skills In the upper years of schooling, spelling instruction focuses on consolidating and refining students' spelling skills. They learn about advanced spelling rules, irregularities, and exceptions. The emphasis shifts to correct word usage, spelling accuracy, and the development of proofreading skills. Teachers engage students in activities like word puzzles, spelling bees, and vocabulary-building exercises to reinforce their spelling knowledge and enhance their confidence.

Supporting Spelling Progressions At Sacred Heart, we are committed to supporting our students' progressions in learning how to spell. Our dedicated educators employ a range of strategies and resources to create a supportive environment for spelling development. Here are some of the ways we foster spelling skills:

1. Explicit Instruction: Our teachers provide explicit instruction in spelling, ensuring students are aware of spelling rules, patterns, and strategies. They model correct spelling, offer explanations, and guide students in practicing spelling words in context.
2. Word Banks and Dictionaries: We encourage the use of word banks and dictionaries to expand students' vocabulary and promote independent spelling. Students are encouraged to explore word meanings, synonyms, and antonyms, which further enhance their understanding of language.
3. Word Walls and Interactive Activities: Word walls are displayed in classrooms, providing visual references for frequently used words. Students actively engage with these word walls through interactive activities, such as word sorts, word hunts, and word building exercises.
4. Technology-Assisted Learning: We leverage technology tools and educational apps that offer spelling support. These resources provide interactive spelling exercises, offer immediate feedback, and allow students to practice spelling in a dynamic and engaging manner.
5. Differentiated Instruction: Recognizing that each student has unique learning needs, our teachers differentiate instruction to cater to various spelling abilities. They provide individualised support, extra practice, and extension activities to ensure all students are challenged and supported appropriately.

Home-School Partnership: We believe that spelling development is a collaborative effort between the school and home. As parents and guardians, your involvement plays a crucial role in supporting your child's spelling progress. Here are some suggestions for fostering spelling skills at home:

• Encourage regular reading to expose your child to a wide range of words and language patterns.
• Engage in word games, such as Scrabble or word puzzles, to make spelling practice enjoyable.
• Create spelling lists based on your child's interests or the words they find challenging.
• Celebrate their spelling achievements.

Mrs Charlie Barrett

Classroom Awards

Class In Focus

PREP

The end of Semester 1 signifies halfway through Prep. What an amazing achievement for all the Preppies, to make it to the halfway point of their first year of official schooling. The last 6 months has allowed for much learning in both academic and social and emotional areas of development.

A summary of the learning for this term:
English - The students have learnt most of the sounds of the alphabet. They have continuously practised these sounds and used this knowledge to write words and begin writing sentences. Preppies have explored many great stories, including ‘Floof’, 'Billy was a Dog’ and ‘Feathers for Phoebe’. Through this knowledge and exploration, students have been able to create short responses to these texts.

Maths – Students have learnt how to represent a number in a variety of ways. They are practicing adding two groups of objects together to find the total in a collection. The Preppies have also explored measurement, comparing objects and ordering them in relation to long and short.

Religion: The students have learnt the Good Samaritan story and the gospel of the 10 Lepers. Through these biblical stories, they have explored the meaning Jesus intended to share through them. They have explored how they can care for others in their lives and how they can show thanks for the blessings they have received.

Other Learning: Students have explored celebrations – what and how we celebrate. They investigated the properties of different materials and used their discoveries to design a party hat that will be suitable for a party on a rainy day or a sunny day. This week we were able to celebrate the learning that had occurred with a party planned by the students!!!!

Happy Holidays.

Mrs Melissa Nelson and Miss Jesse Curtis

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Year 5R

Mrs Megan Radford

Sport News

Athletics Carnival
Well done and congratulations to everyone who participated at the athletics carnival last Friday. It was such a great day with everyone trying their best and having fun. Congratulations to the members of Kelly House who were awarded our overall champions! Selected students for the Catholic Athletics Carnival will be given information this week.

From The Arts

School Idol is coming! Save the date, Tuesday 29^th August 2023.  An electronic online form will be sent to parents next term for students wanting to audition.  Auditions will commence in Week 5 of next term (8^th & 10^th August).  More information will come in the near future. We look forward to seeing our talented students perform!

The Uniform Shop

Thank you for your continued support of the school’s uniform shop.
PLEASE NOTE: WE CAN NO LONGER ACCEPT DONATIONS OF PRE-LOVED ITEMS
Thank you for your understanding in this regard.
*We accept EFTPOS only - NO CASH OR LAYBY*  
Normal Uniform Shop hours:
Mondays & Thursdays 8.00am - 10:30am.
If Monday is a holiday, the Uniform Shop will open on a Tuesday.

SCHOOL BAGS: School Bags are COMPULSORY to the WHOLE SCHOOL.
Do you have the correct bag? Available from the Uniform Shop for $39.50 
SCHOOL PULLOVERS - This is a compulsory uniform item for Years 1 to 6.

Tennis Lessons

Community Notices

Sacred Heart Parish