St Jerome's Newsletter
Week 6 - Term 1 (Thursday 18 March 2021)
Dear Parents
Holidays are just around the corner, and soon we can all relax and catch up on quality family time. School days are hectic events, and the pace sometimes means we miss out the most important moments. Just being together in family, and enjoying every minute of it. Not that I’m counting but there are 10 days of Term 1 remaining!
This week I was asked for my expectations regarding a student’s personal grooming while attending St Jerome’s. It’s an interesting question because it’s not about my preference or my opinion. It’s about you, and what you have agreed to support as parents of St Jerome’s. At your child’s enrolment you signed an agreement to support the school by ensuring that your child/ren abide/s by the school’s regulations, dress code and code of conduct.
In accepting a position at St Jerome’s you agreed to work cooperatively both with the Principal and the staff of the school.
Your agreement is clear, and my role is to make sure that what you have agreed to is honoured and maintained. You ask this of me in a spirit of fostering community marked by cooperation, support and harmony between parents, staff and students.
School policy is not optional, so in regards to personal grooming, this is what you ask of me to maintain and enforce.
- Students with hair that is beyond collar length, must have their hair tied back, and all hair ties are to be bottle green.
- Extreme and radical fashion hairstyles are not acceptable. Boys’ haircuts are not to be less than a ‘Number 3’ and undercuts are not permitted.
- Jewellery - One gold or silver chain with a religious symbol may be worn around the neck under the dress or collar. A wristwatch may be worn. If earrings are necessary, these should only be plain gold or silver studs or sleeper style earrings, with only one earring permitted in each ear. Coloured, gemstones or drop styles are not permitted.
- No make-up or nail polish is to be worn at school.
St Jerome's Uniform Policy: https://bit.ly/3bTVPlo
Next Tuesday 23 March 2021, the school will participate in an evacuation drill at 2.30pm. Practices, such as the evacuation and lockdown drills must be conducted by all CEWA schools for staff and student safety. If you are on campus at this time you must participate in the drill by following the instructions of staff members. Your participation stresses the importance of the drill and it sets a very good example to the children.
I do remember a drill once at a previous school where some parents took pictures and waved enthusiastically as the children marched by. That wasn’t helpful.
If you haven’t booked a seat for next week’s Town Hall on Thursday 25 March at 2.30pm in the staff room, you still have a few days left. I have seen the presentation Sarah and Jacob have prepared and it’s excellent. You will gain a lot from listening to these two amazing educators. The RSVP can be found in this newsletter.
This week I thoroughly enjoyed a conversation I had with our Year 6 teachers, Andrew Jones, Jacob Tucker and Rhiannon Vinkovich. Our discussion considered student leadership at St Jerome’s, the learning journey, the annual school camp, leaver’s shirts, and the end of the year celebration for the 2021 graduating class. It was affirming to listen to three passionate educators speak of what they are considering for this year and in 2022. If there is one element, I have noticed in my short time here at St Jerome’s, it is the interest staff have in providing the very best of learning experiences possible for every child. The Year 6 team epitomise this, and their commitment to their craft is outstanding. If you have a child in year 6, they are very fortunate to be in Andrew, Rhiannon and Jacob’s care.
The Lord be with you.
Chris.
MJR Focus
MJR focus – At school we are focussing on ‘being fair’ in our games and our dealings with others. Parents may wish to discuss this with their children and what this means to them in their lives.
We are now into the fourth week of Lent with only two weeks left until Good Friday. There are so many distractions in our world causing noise and pulling us away from our relationship with Christ. This week, try to prevent that from happening as much as possible.
During this Lenten period, we are encouraged to challenge ourselves to turn off the TV for a hour or so and say “no” to all screen time, whether that’s your phone, tablet, or laptop. Instead, spend your screen time in prayer or being present with your family or those close to you.
Project Compassion - Week 5
Caritas – Project Compassion
You may wish to view Halima’s story with your family. St Jerome’s is raising funds for Project compassion and all support is gratefully appreciated. Eac class has a Project Compassion box in their room and children discuss ways that they can support those less fortunate than us.
https://lent.caritas.org.au/week-5
Halima is raising two children under seven in a refugee camp in Bangladesh, while caring for her mother who has a disability. Widowed at just 21, Halima fled violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State in 2017, arriving at the camp with nothing.
Caritas Australia, through its partner, Caritas Bangladesh, helped Halima out with a shelter and cooking equipment so that she could feed her family. She participated in hygiene and sanitation training and took on the role of community trainer herself, organising the cleaning of washrooms, wells and toilets.
The new stained glass window in the church.
If you have visited the St Jerome’s church in the last week, you will have seen the beautiful new stained glass window to the right of the altar. It perfectly complements the red stained glass window, behind the Tabernacle. This new window, to the rear of the Baptismal Font is made up of different shades of blue glass surrounding a cross. At the heart of the cross is the image of a dove, representing the Holy Spirit. The colours in the windows depict the red of fire and the blue of water.
Salvado Day
Next Friday 26 March we will celebrate Salvado Day in the school. All children from all houses are asked to wear their sport uniform. The day will commence with a mass for our year 1-6 students.
Booking Parent Teacher interviews: Week 7 and Week 8
The Link to booking interviews is now live. Parents can obtain their pin number by accessing the website. https://bookings.parentteacheronline.com.au?school=hnzja where the following screen will appear. Click on the ‘Obtain Pin/Password’ and a pin number will be sent to the email currently supplied to the school. If you do not receive the pin it may be that your email address needs updating. Please contact the office to update your email and receive your pin.
Assistant Principal
Keeping Our Kids Safe in the Carpark
Crossing roads safely
Choose a safe place to cross, either at a pedestrian facility or where you have a good view of approaching traffic and where drivers can easily see you. STOP, LOOK, LISTEN and THINK whenever you cross a road and always hold a young child’s hand.
Don’t risk your child’s life
Never call your child from across the road. Excited children often dash out onto the road and forget to look for traffic. Children cannot accurately judge traffic speed.
Buckle them in every time
Your child needs to be correctly restrained every time when travelling in a car, even over short distances. Most crashes happen close to home!
A safe habit: using the ‘safety door’
Insist your children get in and out of the car safely by using the safety door (rear kerbside door). This way you will keep them away from the traffic flow.
Obey parking signs
Keep children safe from traffic by never parking in No Stopping zones or double parking around the school – no matter how briefly. You will block the view for your children and other motorists and run the risk of causing a crash.
Leave the car at home and walk to school
Walking your children to school can help them develop traffic safety skills. Model the safe crossing procedure – STOP, LOOK, LISTEN and THINK – and talk about each step with your child. Walking to school also improves health and fitness, reduces traffic on the roads around schools and is better for the environment.
NAPLAN – National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy
This year students from Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 will be involved in the NAPLAN tests online in Term 2. The NAPLAN assesses Literacy and Numeracy skills that students are learning through the regular classroom curriculum. It provides teachers and parents with an understanding of how individual students are performing at the time of the test. It is important to realise that the NAPLAN is only one part of assessment of a child’s progress and teachers collect information about their students through a variety of sources constantly. Information about the NAPLAN will go home to Year 3 and 5 students this week.
Next week, our Year 3 and 5 students will participate in a Coordinated Practice Test to identify if the NAPLAN online platform is able to cope with the delivery of the test next term. Our students will be able to have a go at completing a test similar to the real test and they will become familiar in navigating the test workspace. Teachers will be going through practice of this in class and they will send home more information as the test date approaches.
How can I help my child prepare for the test?
- Ensure they have a good night sleep leading up to the test
- Provide a good breakfast on the day of the test
- Speak about the test in positive terms. Our teachers know their students very well and will support them.
- Look at the website together where there are practice tests available – www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site
Vanessa Alaniz
Assistant Principal
Assistant Princpal
P&F News
Vocal Tutor - Welcome Jenelle Russo!
Contact Details
Email: admin@stjeromes.wa.edu.au
Website: www.stjeromes.wa.edu.au
Location: 38 Troode Street, Lake Coogee, WA, Australia
Phone: 08 9499 9500