St Bernadette's Primary School Dundas Valley

Newsletter 2021 Term 3 Week 10

FROM THE PRINCIPAL...

Dear families of St Bernadette's

Well we made it to Week 10! Great job to all of you in making it through a term of remote learning.

At this stage we will begin Term 4 on Tuesday 5th October as Monday 4th October is a public holiday. From this date we will continue with remote learning until we are given the all clear to transition back to school as per NSW Education advice. Once we have this advice we will send out our clear plan of how we will transition the children back to face to face learning.

As you can imagine our Semester 2 report will look different to our Semester 1 report. As a staff we are in discussions around how this will be done and how we can include parental involvement. We are thinking that a Google Form will be sent home to capture your views on your child’s progress and engagement during remote learning. These insights will be taken into account when your child’s teacher is reporting on their observations of your child’s progress.

As we move into our “holidays” we would like to say a sincere thank you for all of your support during this term. Hopefully you and your family stay well and enjoy some time away from the screens.

Stay well and hang in there. As I often remind you we are only an email or a phone call away.

Love & Light   

Lisa Gerrard

(on behalf of the St Bernadette’s staff & students)

FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL...

I was shared this lovely quote by one of the coaches in my training group. I think it is especially important this week as we get to the end of the most unusual term we have ever experienced.  It has been a hard road for many and as we head into the school holidays, it may seem like a never ending cycle of home, home, home, but we can make each day special, valuable and worthwhile. It is a good reminder to treat everyone we come into contact with each day with love, kindness and respect and remember that every one of our actions will affect someone in one way or another. 

I hope you enjoy a safe, relaxing and enjoyable school holiday where you can spend some stress-free, screen-free time with family. 

Mrs Willard

Remote Learning for Term 4:

When we begin Term 4, all students will still be engaged in Remote Learning. Minimal staff will be onsite to provide supervision for those students that require it - that is, for the children of essential workers or those students that have no other supervision option at home.

We continue to follow NSW Government Health advice and only ask a minimum number of teachers to be onsite at school each day. 

By remote learning with your child/ren at home, you are keeping them safe and keeping our staff safe as well. 

We look forward to welcoming our students back to school later in Term 4. At this stage, the advice on returns to school remains:

Students will return to face-to-face learning with NSW Health-approved COVID-safe settings on school sites in the following order:

  • from 25 October – Kindergarten and Year 1

  • from 1 November – Years 2, 6 and 11

  • from 8 November – Years 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION...

Sunday 19 September 2021

REFLECTION by Fr Michael Tate

Marginal people

Jesus was well aware of the constant temptation for the leaders amongst his followers to be conditioned by the surrounding social and political structures. So, when he became aware that his disciples were disputing ‘who is the greatest’, he decided to teach them a lesson by engaging in some counter-cultural street theatre.

Jesus saw a young boy on the edge of the crowd and beckoned him into the middle of his group of disciples. This was not because of some sentimental idea that all kids are little innocents, but because in his society, children were absolutely at the bottom of the social scale. Jesus moved an utter nobody from the margins of society to the centre, challenging his disciples to change their perspective.

This challenge is made to all of us. We must identify those on the margins, some of whom we have quite literally dis-located like indigenous communities or asylum seekers, and bring them into the centre of our concern. There may be pain, personal and social, in changing perspective.

We might pause for a moment to pray for a new way of seeing, for perseverance in re-locating someone in the centre of our concerns, for the graceful insight that in welcoming that person we have welcomed Christ.

Message from the Sacramental co-ordinator

Congratulations to the year 6 Confirmation candidates for completing the lesson part of the program and for now waiting patiently for the churches to open up sufficiently for this beautiful sacrament to go ahead sometime in the future.

A call out now for enrolments for the First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion program, for any children in years 3-6 who are baptised, but for whatever reason, have not yet received their First Reconciliation and would like to do so. If interested please contact Frances on mfzore@optusnet.com.au and an Overview and nomination form will be emailed to you.

All Year 2 will be emailed the Overview and required Nomination form.

Kindest regards,

Frances

LITERACY

Spoonville coming to St Bernadette's

Whilst out exercising you may have noticed spoon villages popping up around the place. These spoon villages are made up of wooden spoons decorated with paint, googly eyes, sequins, wool, pipe cleaners, pom poms etc.

We would like to create our own St Bernadette’s Spoonville and we need your help. Over the holidays we ask that you make your very own Spoonville character. You will need a wooden spoon and some craft items to decorate your spoon.

At the start of Term 4 we will place a box outside the school office where you can leave your Spoonville character. Please try to write your child’s name in texta somewhere on the spoon so we can identify the wonderful artist. Also, take a photo of the spoon your child creates because at the beginning of Term 4 each class will be assigned a writing task connected to this activity.

Visit this website for inspiration https://spoonvilleinternational.com/

SCHOOL NEWS...

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

Dates to remember:

Our Staff Development Day for Term 3 is this Friday 17th September. School will be closed as no staff will be onsite. 

Term 4 begins - Tuesday 5th October, 2021.

School Fees

If you are experiencing challenges and financial concerns, and your employment has been affected by the current COVID lockdown, we invite you to contact our Finance Officer for a confidential discussion in this regard.

At this stage, we are unable to provide details on refunds for any cancelled excursions or activities. This decision depends on future advice from CEDP & NSW Health, on what we are able to do in the second half of next term. Fees for any cancelled events will be fully credited to your fees account. We thank you for your support during this extraordinary time.

A reminder to notify our office as soon as possible, if you know that you may be leaving St Bernadette’s at the end of this year. As you know, you are required to give a ten week notice if you are leaving. Please contact our office for a copy of a leaving form that must be completed.

Community Of Learners

Congratulations on all of your hard work during this term. I have really enjoyed seeing the creative ways that the children have engaged during remote learning. 

I look forward to Spoonville next term.

Welcome Mr Ellery

We would like to welcome our new Grounds Keeper Mr Shane Ellery. Mr Ellery started with us at the beginning of this month. We know that he will be a great addition to our community.

PBS4L

PBS4L During Remote Learning

Whilst working online it is important we continue to uphold the St Bernadette’s expectations:

⭐ I am safe

⭐ I am respectful

⭐ I am a learner

 

What would this look like online?

I am Safe 

    • Join Zoom lessons from a safe area in my house eg. the living room or kitchen/dining area
    • Use the technology correctly


    I am Respectful

      • Wear appropriate clothing during Zoom lessons
      • Mute my microphone when I am not speaking
      • Only use the chat feature in the Zoom lesson when my teacher asks me to
      • During Zoom lessons I am listen attentively
      • Speak kindly and use my manners when interacting online


      I am a Learner

          • Complete activities set by my teacher
          • Only use the comment section on Google Classroom when I need to ask a question
          • Avoid distractions around me when I am working
          • The work that is submitted is my personal best

            Altar Servers' Roster 16 July - 17 September 2021

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            We would love to advertise events in our community so if you know of an upcoming event please email the details to dundasvalley@parra.catholic.edu.au.

            Don't forget to collect your Bread Tags!

            Enrolling now for 2022

            We still have a small number of places left in our 2022 Kindergarten. Please send in all relevant information as soon as you can to secure your place.

            Happy Birthday

            • Chloe Y - 10/9
            • Sofia S - 14/9
            • Jacob A - 16/9
            • Gian Franco - 16/9
            • Dimitrios - 22/9
            • Sienna - 24/9
            • Parsa - 24/9
            • Monika - 25/9
            • Caitlyn - 25/9
            • Ryan D - 28/9
            • Jada - 28/9

            EXTRA CURRICULAR...

            COMMUNITY NEWS...

            Community Health Advice

            St Bernadettes Primary School

            St Bernadette's Primary, Dundas Valley is a community focused, Catholic parish school catering for boys and girls from Kindergarten to Year 6. The school strives to build a Christ-centred community where faith is integrated with daily life. We provide learning and teaching experiences which enable the children to deepen their faith understandings, investigate, solve problems and explore their learning. We recognise the importance of creating a learning environment that provides opportunities to develop 21st century learning. Technology is integrated into the learning at St Bernadette’s in all Key Learning Areas.