St Jerome's Newsletter
Week 2 - Term 2 (Thursday 9 May 2019)
Dear Parents and members of our school community
With Mother's Day this weekend, I take this opportunity of wishing all our mums a wonderful day of rest and relaxation as you spend quality time with your children and families this Sunday. May you be surrounded with lots of love and blessed with many special moments.
We look forward to seeing many of you at tomorrow's Mass and at the CSPWA morning tea.
We appreciate that not every mum is able to be at either event and we explain this to the students. Please know that we include all mothers in our prayers.
For those of us whose mothers have passed away, treasure those happy memories of days gone by and say a special and loving prayer of thanks to your mum.
Recently many teachers have mentioned that children are coming to school feeling exhausted. Additionally they have not brushed their teeth or hair and look quite worn out.
Children must be given every chance to be the best they they can be and ensuring they have sufficient sleep is essential.
Sleep is vital for children’s growth, learning and development. Having a good sleep every night makes your child happier, helps them to concentrate and remember things, and improves their behaviour.
How much sleep do children need?
The amount of sleep we need changes with age. Everyone is different, but as a guide, children need the following amounts of sleep every night:
Ages 3 to 5: 10 to 13 hours
Ages 6 to 13: 9 to 11 hours
Ages 14 to 17: 8 to 10 hours
Getting enough sleep is vital for your child’s physical health, brain function, emotional wellbeing, safety, and ability to function day to day. Not having enough sleep or not sleeping well can affect how children learn and lead to mood swings and behavioural problems.
Tips to help children sleep well
Getting enough sleep is as important for your child as healthy eating and exercising. Here are some tips to help your child fall asleep, stay asleep and get enough good quality sleep.
Establish a sleep schedule: Make sure your child goes to bed early enough to get the sleep they need. Once you have set an appropriate bed time, stick to it - even at the weekend.
Establish a bedtime routine: Follow the same routine every day: bath or shower, change into pyjamas, brush teeth, read or spend quiet time in their bedroom, lights out and go to sleep.
Help your child wind down: Busy children need some time to relax. Consider playing soft music or reading to them.
We recommend the free app titled "Smiling Mind". This app has meditations suitable for adults as well as children.
Make sure the bedroom is suitable for sleep: Ensure the bedroom is dark and quiet. If your child is anxious or afraid at night, use a night light.
Avoid stimulants: Make sure your child avoids tea, coffee, chocolate or sports drinks, especially in the afternoon.
Turn off technology: Turning off computers, tablets and television at least 1 hour before bedtime should help your child sleep better.
Signs of sleep problems
If you establish good sleep habits and your child is still having trouble falling or staying asleep, they might have a sleep problem. You might notice behaviour problems, difficulty concentrating or they might seem tired during the day.
Signs of sleep problems include:
- sleepwalking
- wetting the bed
- night terrors
- teeth grinding
- snoring
- trouble breathing while asleep, or taking long pauses between breaths.
If you think your child may have a sleep problem, talk to your doctor.
Helen O'Toole
Principal
Crowning the Queen of the May
Children’s Mass Sunday 19 May 10am
The parish are holding a children’s mass on 19th May led by our Year Four students. Families from across the school are warmly invited to celebrate this mass with us.
Sewing Help Needed!
I am looking for a parent or grandparent who is able to do some simple sewing to make up some little altar cloths for our classrooms.
If you can assist please either leave your name at the front office or email me at carol.hoare@cewa.edu.au
Many thanks
Carol Hoare
NAPLAN Testing
Parents of Year 3 and 5 Students
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) series of tests are administered annually to all Australian students. These tests will take place nationally during Weeks 3 and 4 of Term 2 from Tuesday 14 May through to Friday 24 May. Please see below the schedule of assessments for St Jerome’s.
NAPLAN tests important skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life. The Literacy tests are based on content in the English learning area, and the numeracy tests draw content from the mathematics learning area. It is very important therefore that students are present for all assessments. If your child is unavoidably absent on one of the testing days we do have ‘Catch-Up’ sessions for the students however it would preferable for your child to complete the assessment on the day with their class colleagues.
Here are the six best tips to help your child get through NAPLAN testing as stress-free as possible:
1. Make sure they get enough sleep
Making sure your child gets enough sleep is vital to make sure they're feeling their best on testing day. Try to make sure they go to bed on time during the weeks of NAPLAN testing.
2. Take the pressure off
A bit of stress is normal before any test, however the National Assessment Program (NAP) recommends helping your child prepare for NAPLAN by reassuring them that NAPLAN tests are just one part of their school program, and reminding them on the day to simply try their best is vital.
3. Let them know it's not pass or fail
NAPLAN is not a pass-or-fail type test. Individual student performance is shown on a national achievement scale for each test. Each test scale has 10 bands and all year levels are reported on the same scale. Six bands are reported for each year level for each test. One of these bands represents the national minimum standard for students at each year level. A result at the national minimum standard indicates that the student demonstrated the basic literacy and numeracy skills needed to participate fully in that year level. The performance of individual students can be compared to the average performance of all students in Australia.
4. Give them a good breakfast
Breakfast before learning is ideal every day for students but a nutritious meal before a morning test like NAPLAN will give students doing the test the best start to the day.
5. Make sure they know what NAPLAN is
NAPLAN assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students have already been learning through the school curriculum. Teachers will ensure students are familiar with the test formats and will provide appropriate support and guidance but asking your child if they have any questions can be a big help. If you have any questions about your child's preparation for NAPLAN, you should make a time to speak with their teacher.
6. Don't emphasise the result
Try not to place too much pressure on what result your child receives and remind them that they've done their best.
Information for parents & staff
The following link: http://nap.edu.au/online-assessment/FAQs provides answers to frequently asked questions about NAPLAN Online.
Enquiries Email: naplanonline@scsa.wa.edu.au
Helpdesk: 9442 9442
Book Club – Issue 3
Book club orders must be finalised online
By Monday 20th May
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
Our PP students enjoyed the fun of a Bubbles incursion this week.
Cockburn Council - have a look at their website and see what they have to offer.
Eg Cockburn Arc - Kids Group Fitness, SwimARCademy, Junior Comps (Winter Sports), Raising Calm & Connected Kids (free parent forum), Parenting by Connection.
St Jeromes Primary School P&F Give mum the VIP treatment with Entertainment! Packed with thousands of valuable offers across dining, retail, attractions and travel, an Entertainment Membership is the gift she can enjoy all year round. We think Mum will love it even more for supporting St Jeromes Primary School P&F and knowing it helps a good cause.
The perfect way to celebrate Mothers' Day
School Banking Information Session
Scribblers Festival 2019 - Family Weekend
Scribblers Festival, - A wonderful, free family events on Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 May.
Scribblers Festival 2019 - Family Weekend, The Goods Shed, Claremont, May 11 & 12
Visit Scribblers Festival website to learn more Scribblers Festival https://www.scribblersfestival.com.au/
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