St Jerome's Newsletter
Week 3 - Term 1 (Thursday 20 February)
St Jerome’s Primary School acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Owners and Elders, both past and present, of the lands on which this school is located.
Dear Parents and members of our school community
So the next time you are talking to God, and you can't think of anything to say, let the "Five Finger Prayer" help you.
Dear Lord, we thank you for prayer.
It is good to have a friend to talk to,
but even friends sometimes have trouble
thinking of something to say.
Help us to remember this Five Finger Prayer
to remember those who need our prayers.
Amen
Message from the Principal
Canteen Volunteers - helpers wanted!
We are particularly in need of volunteers on Mondays and Thursdays.
We welcome everyone especially grandparents. Every volunteer has a lot of fun while helping our students. We hold a Christmas Afternoon Tea and all our regulars receive a small present.
Canteen roster is from 9am till 1pm. However we are very flexible and we can work around your time frame.
We even have shift workers who give us a few dates to choose from each month or so.
Please contact Renate Martin our Canteen Manager, if you can give us even one day during the year. We know that the smile on your child's face when they see you there will be a wonderful reward.
Welcome Back P&F Picnic tomorrow night
We look forward to welcoming all our new families and existing families to the Picnic tomorrow evening on the Year One oval. This is a wonderful opportunity for all families to meet other parents and enjoy a lovely evening together while the children play and have fun at the disco in the undercover area. There will be food vans, pizzas and ice creams for sale if you don’t want to think about bringing a picnic yourself. The evening starts at 5pm and runs till 8pm.
There will be extra parking on the main oval via the gate on Minga place. Bring along your rug and chairs and settle in for a relaxing evening.
Importance of secure attachment for children
One of the most important things that I have learnt, if there is one thing that we can do as parents that has the most powerful impact on our children’s lives, it is ensuring our children are ‘securely attached’.
The secret is simple, it is in our ability to listen and respond to our child’s needs. A secure attachment is an advantage for a whole lifetime.
Secure attachment is not to be confused with being clingy, shy or always seeking attention, it is the total opposite. Children, who are securely attached, use their special adult as their base of security.
When children feel secure, they can move away from their dependable adult to explore, knowing they can always go back to that adult as needed. It is through exploring that children learn.
It is very important for children to develop a relationship with their parents that make them feel safe and gives them a sense of security and confidence. The parent's sensitivity to the needs of the child is a major determinant in whether a secure or insecure attachment will develop.
The more secure your child is in their relationship with their parent, the more likely they will see their future as an exciting mystery to discover not a problem to be endured. The gift of ‘secure attachment’ is proven to create: positive self-esteem, positive performance in school, positive relationships with others now and all through life, the ability to handle stress and someday, to raise his or her own healthy, happy children.
Our role is to be in tune with our child/ren and to let them set the pace for exploring. Your child needs to be able to trust that you will be there when they need security and comfort.
St Jerome’s Homework Policy
I would like all parents, especially those new to the school to read through our Homework Policy.
https://www.stjeromes.wa.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/18HO-Homework-Policy-final-August-2018.pdf
Every child from Year 1 to Year 6 does have Homework each night from Monday through till Thursday and that one essential component is their reading. Additionally, as required, the teacher will send home “focused practice” activities. These will vary as need for the class. For example, Year 5 teachers may notice that the students are not clear on the use of “their”, “there” and “they’re” and might ask that the student writes a few sentences showing that they know the difference. Or the Year 3 students may need practice in double digit addition. Your child may have to prepare a short speech for Year 6 or prepare their news in Year 2. We understand how busy families are and that many children do several after school activities but these small demands can easily be fitted into an evening or morning routine.
The Most Powerful Family Ritual? The Bedtime Story
There is simply nothing more powerful than the bedtime story—especially in this age of continuous screen time. As we go deeper into the discussion, we start to see how the bedtime story is the perfect ending to the day. So let’s rethink and reclaim this special decompression time for both parent and child.
It is not just something we are doing for our kids—the benefits accrue to us as well. We don’t just read to our kids, we read with our kids. Here are five reasons why the bedtime story is the most powerful family ritual:
End-of-day closure
The bedtime story can symbolically represent a closure point in our continuous, always-on, and endless days. Even our kids, as they enter school, are starting to feel pressures of a 24/7 world. Together we can start to wind down, letting go of the anxieties that can fill a day.
For our kids, bathing, teeth brushing, and pyjamas starts the slow-down process. For us parents, it is also important that we fully shift our attention and presence to this special time—treating it as uninterrupted, sacred space (leaving our device outside the room!).
Feeling safe & secure
There is probably no safer or secure feeling than to be snuggled with a parent—listening to their comforting voice. Bonding is magnified as a special story transports us to a world of possibility. Also, stress levels start to lower for both parent and child as a softer energy starts to surround us. To have this loving ritual repeated night after night promotes an unconditional love that protects our little ones from the inevitable feelings of vulnerability that define the human experience.
Healthy sleeping & better dreaming
Sleep specialists reveal how bedtime stories can help both child and parent get a good night sleep. It makes total sense. The loving voice tones of the parent can also create strong associations with sleep—slowing the brain down—and helping the child to let go of the day. As our young ones enter deeper sleep after storytelling, the brain continues to ‘play with’ this new information—imprinting the feelings, images and story patterns that have been heard.
In other words, the powerful subconscious continues to do its magic as the child sleeps, setting the foundation to positively enter the next day.
Engaging the imagination
Bedtime stories are one of the best ways to stimulate a child’s imagination. Research reveals that reading a story is completely different than watching a TV show or movie. Listening to a story requires a more active participation as they use their mind to visualize what is happening and to think about what choices they would make if they were the character. These new ideas inspire our kids to imagine new realities and identities for themselves. Their favourite stories start to positively shape their own life story.
Connecting & empathizing
Just as stories help our kids create their sense of self, they also help them to empathize with others. Our young ones can find comfort in relating to a character in a story who is going through a similar challenge—whether it is a best friend moving away or the loss of a pet. Not surprisingly, stories can help our kids find the courage (and scripting) to deal with things that seemed too far out of their experience.
For children in uncertain circumstances (like divorce or loss of a family member), a bedtime story can help them to start shaping a new reality. Still, the most precious forms of connection that bedtime stories facilitate is that between parent and child—one of the most powerful predictors of success and happiness in life for our kids.
Mike Morrison
Community Festival - Coogee Takes Flight (7 & 8 March)
St Jerome’s Primary School has been invited to participate in the upcoming Coogee Live Festival Coogee Takes Flight paper crane project at the beginning of March. Paper cranes are an emblem of hope against the odds and in Japanese tradition, whoever folds one thousand paper cranes will receive their heart’s desire.
On Tuesday local artist, Melanie Gray, spent lunch time sharing her origami skills with a group of Years 5 and 6 students. These children will become the school ‘leaders’ for this project and fold as many paper cranes as possible in between now and the end of Week 5 so that our school community may contribute to a large installation of cranes to be featured during the festival.
All children across every year level are invited to be a part of this project and colour in a square template so that it can then be folded by our wonderful visual art team. There are two large bubble sections provided on the template as a place where students may like to write their wish.
Teachers have been given a copy of the template for those interested students or they may be collected from reception for those children who may also like to take a template home, colour it, cut it out and take it to the event. There will be volunteers available at Coogee Live across the weekend to fold it for them and all families are encouraged to go along and be involved in the fun activities that are planned for the local community.
Please encourage children to colour in and create their paper crane and have them ready to return to school across the next week.
Thank you, as always, for your support. It is an exciting opportunity for our students at St Jerome’s.
For more information on this event, click on the following link.
Dance in 2020
In 2020 Edudance has been replaced with our own program led by our Performing Arts and dance teacher Mr Bennett-Surtees. The program this year will involve not just a dance routine but the skills and techniques involved in creating dance. This is a saving of $25.00 a year to parents. There will be details of the end of term concerts posted on Seesaw over the coming weeks. This term there will be a concert for the year 4-6 classes.
Principal
Religious Education News
Altar Servers
We are planning to run a training session for catholic children who would like to be altar servers at school masses. Children from Yr 3-6 are eligible to participate.
If your child would like to be take part, please could you email me before Monday 24th Feb. carol.hoare@cewa.edu.au
Best wishes
Carol Hoare
Children’s mass this Sunday
All our families are invited to come along to the Children’s mass this Sunday at 10am led by our Year 5 students.
At our children’s masses, we support the st Jerome’s, St Vincent De Paul larder and families can bring along items of non perishable food that are then distributed to needy families in the area.
These can be placed in front of the altar before mass or left at school tomorrow.
We look forward to celebrating mass with you this Sunday.
Parent Information Sessions Tuesday 25th February
Session times 5:30 -6pm & 6:05 -6:35pm
On Tuesday evening we will be holding our Parent Information sessions in each year level.
This year, the sessions will take on a different format. In the past, these sessions have been used to inform parents about general information relating to the school and year levels along with the content in the different subject areas. As we now have Seesaw to provide regular updates on what is happening in the year levels, we have changed the format of these sessions to focus on ‘how ‘ we teach, with particular emphasis on literacy and numeracy. The sessions should be very helpful to parents as the teachers will also provide strategies to assist parents to help their their child at home . There will be an opportunity for parents to give feedback on this format, via a link sent out to all parents on Tuesday. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday evening.
Enrolment for the Sacramental Program
Dear parents
ENROLMENT PROCESS FOR CHILDREN’S SACRAMENTS 2020
We are pleased to announce the introduction of St Jerome’s Parish Online Enrolment for the Sacraments for Children (Sacraments of Reconciliation, Holy Communion and Confirmation).
The Online Enrolment Forms are now available on the parish website until Monday 16th March 2020 (inclusive).
GENERAL GUIDE FOR THE SACRAMENTS FOR CHILDREN IN 2020
Please note that the Online Enrolment process is applicable only for baptised Catholics.
For non-Catholics (including baptised Christians of other denominations) who wish to become Catholic and receive the Sacraments, please contact:
Fr Vijay D’Souza or Soly Fernandez
Tel: 9418 1229
Mobile: 0423 168 764
Email: re_coordinator@stjeromesparish.org .
Generally, the school year associated with the respective Sacrament is as given below:
o Year 3: Sacrament of Reconciliation
o Year 4: Sacrament of Holy Communion
o Year 6: Sacrament of Confirmation
If you are not sure which Sacrament is applicable for your child, please contact Soly Fernandez.
Children who are in the Parish RE Program (PREP) (i.e. not in St Jerome’s Primary School), and who have already received the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion shall enrol in the ‘RE Program of Pre-Confirmation’ this year. They are then eligible to enrol for the Sacrament of Confirmation in the following year.
ONLINE ENROLMENT PROCESS
Please follow closely the steps of the enrolment process given below:
1. Visit St Jerome’s Parish website: www.stjeromesparish.org
2. At the top menu, go to ‘SACRAMENTS’ and select the ‘ENROLMENT PACKAGE 2020’ from the drop menu. Please go through the three documents in the Enrolment Package 2020 to be familiar with the preparations required for your child to receive the Sacrament.
3. Back at the top menu, go to ‘SACRAMENTS’ again, and from the drop menu select the appropriate Enrolment Form for your child.
4. Fill out all questions on the selected Enrolment Form, but DO NOT submit the form yet.
5. Make a secured online payment of the prescribed fee ($50) to the parish bank account given on the Enrolment Form, with your child’s first name, surname and Sacrament as reference. Please ‘Save’ the receipt of the payment.
6. Send your child’s first name, surname and Sacrament to the Email Address: stjeromessacraments@gmail.com together with (1) your child’s Baptism certificate and (2) the receipt of the payment, as attachments.
7. After sending the above email, please submit the Online Enrolment Form. Please ensure that your submission is made before Monday 16th of March 2020, as the Online Enrolment Forms will not be available after that date.
8. Present your child for a special blessing at the ‘Presentation of Candidates Mass’ on Saturday 21st March, 6pm or Sunday 22nd March, 10am.
If you encounter any difficulty in the enrolment process, please contact Soly Fernandez on
Mobile: 0423 168 764 or Email: re_coordinator@stjeromesparish.org .
Thank your kind co-operation.
God bless
Soly Fernandez
RE Coordinator, St Jerome’s Parish
Centre for Faith Enrichment
Online and face to face courses available in term 1 for parents and teachers.
If you have questions about your faith and would like to take part in an adult faith course on the following subjects on offer this term, please access the Centre for Faith Enrichment website www.cfe.org.au or contact them on 92415221.
Courses on offer in term 1.
· New testament Greek
· Introduction to Theology
· Evening courses on Lent
· Online courses on St Teresa of Lisieux and Teresa of Avila
· Opportunities for plenary Council Listening and discernment sessions
A Fiver for the Fire Appeal
Thank you to everyone for your very generous support. A total of $1,500 was raised for this very worthy cause.
Carol Hoare
AP RE
News from our Community Nurse
Book Club – Issue 1 (2020)
Book club orders must be finalised online
By Friday 21st February
Any orders placed after this date will incur a delivery fee and be delivered to your home.
Please use LOOP on scholastic website.
No cash payments or paper orders taken
St Jerome's Classroom Volunteers are Making a Difference
Dear Parents
We invite you to consider participating in our MAD volunteer program in 2020.
MAD volunteers receive training and on-going support to work with our students to develop skills in the area of Language. Volunteers work 1:1 or in a small group each week at a time that is suitable for both the volunteer and the class. Simple, routine tasks repeated over a period of time provide the opportunity for our students to consolidate basic skills whilst enjoying the interaction of peers and members of the community.
A ‘hands on’ information session will be held on THURSDAY 5th March from 9-10am in the Discovery Room.
We hope you will consider joining the MAD program for term 1 and invite you to come along to the information session on Thursday 5th March or email regarding further information.
MAD VOLUNTEER INFORMATION SESSION RSVP to Joanna.roper@cewa.edu.au
With thanks Joanna Roper
Canteen News
QC QuickCliq
Please read information below on how to register with QC QuickCliq.
A call out for Canteen Volunteers
It is impossible to run the canteen without the help of our wonderful volunteers.
Forms have been sent home and one is attached at the back of this newsletter for your convenience.
PLEASE consider helping us – a roster goes from 9am til 1 pm. No cooking is required, we have lots of fun and your children will LOVE you for it!
Feel free to drop in to see us and have a chat about it, or call/text Renate on 0404 06 91 06.
(They particularly need volunteers on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday)
Renate Martin
Canteen Manager
P & F News
Come and Try Kayaking
Presented by Champion Lakes Boating Club
Venue: Champion Lakes Regatta Centre
Henley Drive, Champion Lakes
Dates: Saturday 7 March 2020
Time: 3:30-5:00pm
Cost: FREE
Pre requisite: Must have basic swimming skills (Stage 5 or equivalent)
All gear provided (boat, paddle pfd)
Bookings on EVENTBRITE
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/come-and-try-kayaking-8-years-adults-tickets-93030359309
Contact Details
Email: admin@stjeromes.wa.edu.au
Website: www.stjeromes.wa.edu.au
Location: 38 Troode Street, Munster WA, Australia
Phone: 08 9499 9500