St Jerome's Newsletter
Week 4, Term 4 (Thursday 1 November 2018)
Dear Parents and members of our school community,
Making Reading Enjoyable for Students
All parents and teachers want their children to develop a love of reading, but this is anything but a simple endeavour. Although it is important to give students, time to read, this may not be enough. We need to be constantly on the lookout for ways to help children find books they love and develop a habit of reading.
FIVE TIPS FOR DEVELOPING A LOVE OF READING Top of FormBottom of Form
1. Make time for what’s important:
You can make a huge difference! Parents are the most important educators in a child’s life – even more important than their teachers – and it’s never too early to start reading together. Even before they're born, babies learn to recognise their parents' voices. Reading to your baby from birth, even for just a few minutes a day, gives them the comfort of hearing your voice and increases their exposure to language. Real readers read every day. Make the decision to give your children 10 to 15 minutes a day to read. Regardless of how motivated your child is, he or she will not read if there isn't any time to do so. Carve time out of the busy day and dedicate it to reading, both together and on your own. By setting aside specific times, rather than trying to squeeze it in between soccer and dance lessons, you send the message that reading is an important activity, and something your child will enjoy. We need to give children the opportunity to practice reading skills, and choice reading every day is one of the most effective ways of developing these skills.
2. Give children ready access to books:
There’s something powerful about having a good book immediately available. Be constantly on the lookout for books and vastly improve the health and appeal of your home collection of books. Involve the children in the selection of books they would love to read. Ask your children to make lists of books they’d like to read and tap into the book recommendations on social media. Reading should be a choice, not a chore. Let your child's interests guide his or her reading choices. While it's fine to make suggestions, don't force your conceptions of what your child should be reading onto your child. In addition, keep an eye on the reading level of the books your children choose. Let them stretch to the best of their ability, but be ready to help if they get discouraged. It is vital for parents and teachers to strongly encourage children to read whatever they are interested in and will enjoy, no matter what it is. Don’t forget on line resources such as audiobooks and the importance of reading to children as often as possible, especially if they are reluctant. “An adult who’s reading can deliver the intent of the author through tone and cadence that a child can’t always get reading by themselves.” When being read to, reluctant readers can see that reading is pleasurable.
3. Make reading visible:
Children don’t always see the reading that’s going on all around them, so make it your mission to make reading more immediately visible. Make lists of, “Books We’ve Read” or take a picture of the books that the children have read. When children see the adults around them using reading and writing in their everyday lives, they are more likely to become readers and writers themselves. Simply having a bookshelf full of books, reading the local newspaper, and having a notepad on which you write grocery lists and phone messages shows your child that reading and writing serve valuable everyday purposes. Other suggestions for sneaking under a wary child's reading radar include playing board games that involve written instructions, corresponding with a pen pal, and turning on the closed captioning on your television. To illustrate the practical side of reading, have your child help you with the grocery list, or leave reminder notes for your child to discover throughout the day.
4. Talk about books:
Another way to make students aware of the reading all around them is to talk about books around the dinner table. In addition to regular book talks, make it a habit every day to ask the children about the books they are currently reading, Reading doesn't have to stop when you put the book down. Talk to your child about books you've read and books you think he or she might enjoy. Point out similarities between everyday events and stories you have recently read. If your child has a favourite author, help your child write him or her a letter. For a more structured discussion, consider joining, or starting, a parent/child book club. All of these activities is a reminder of how much we value reading.
5. Be patient and relentless:
The most valuable realization in our endeavour to help children learn to love reading is to just keep trying. Whether snuggled under the covers with peanut-butter sandwiches, or following along with a book on the I-Pad while on a road trip, reading together is a powerful tool in motivating your child to read and develop.
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What words come to mind when you think of the Sacrament of Reconciliation? How about conversion, healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, honesty, courage, or even celebration?
The sacrament Reconciliation gets a bad rap, with many people steering clear because they think it’s all about guilt and punishment, when actually the emphasis is on mercy, forgiveness, and healing. The Church uses all of these words to describe the sacrament of Reconciliation. It is one of the two sacraments of healing. It is sometimes called the sacrament of forgiveness. Pope John Paul II called it an act of honesty and courage.
This has been the focus for our Year 3 students as they have prepared for this Sacrament of healing. We would like to congratulate our Year 3 students who received the sacrament of Reconciliation this Tuesday and wish them God’s blessing as they continue on their Christian journey.
Drive-Through
The safety of our children at all times is paramount. With this in mind the school has established a drive –through system to facilitate a safe and efficient means of delivering and picking up children by vehicle without the need to park. The school has also established crosswalks at either end of the drive through to indicate optimal locations for pedestrians to cross and help designate right-of-way for motorists to yield to pedestrians. The cross walks are there to ensure the safety of our children. It is essential that we teach our children crosswalk safety and while the school does all that it can to protect our children; it is parents’ responsibility to lead by example and encourage crosswalk safety when children are on the road. What better way to start teaching children about important road safety rules than here at school? Children learn by example so please do not walk across the drive through with your child to access the carpark please lead by example and take the extra couple of minutes to walk to the crosswalks.
Reports
Dear Parents and Guardians,
All Pre-Primary to Year 6 Reports and Kindergarten Developmental Profiles are delivered electronically via SEQTA Engage.
New Families / Accounts
If you have not previously created a SEQTA Engage account, you will receive an email over the next couple of days that must be actioned within 7 days. This email includes a link that is specific to your family. More information on how to create your new account can be found at http://www.stjeromes.wa.edu.au/seqta-engage/
and then clicking on “Registering”.
Current / Previous Accounts
It is important that you check your login for SEQTA Engage as early as possible so that you will be able to access your child’s report at the end of this term.
Please go to the following site http://www.stjeromes.wa.edu.au/seqta-engage/
and click on “SEQTA Engage” to check your login details. A link to this site can also be found on the school website at www.stjeromes.wa.edu.au, click on the “Portal” tab on the green menu bar and click on “SEQTA Engage”.
If you have remembered your username but have forgotten your password, please go to the following site http://www.stjeromes.wa.edu.au/seqta-engage/ and click on “Forgot Password’.
If you have forgotten your username you will need to email seqta.help@stjeromes.wa.edu.au and provide your name, your child’s name and your child’s class.
Other Information
Reports will be available for viewing on Wednesday 5 December after 2.00pm. If you are unable to print your child’s report a copy can be obtained from the school office at a cost of $5.00.
Please be aware that some emails can end up in junk mail, so please ensure that you check your inbox as well as your junk mail.
If you have any specific issues or general questions please email seqta.help@stjeromes.wa.edu.au outlining your query and provide your name, your child’s name and your child’s class.
Angie Letizia
Assistant Principal
Tomorrow we will be holding our Grandparent's Morning at St Jerome's and are very much looking forward to welcoming grandparents into the school to visit their grandchildren in their classrooms. The school gates will open at 9:30am and there will be Student Councillors and the school Leadership Team available to assist with directing grandparents to the various classes, where there will be a variety of activities taking place. For those grandparents who are dropping off their grandchildren at 8:30am and then waiting around the school till 9:30am, there will be coffee and tea available in the hall for you.
Recess will begin at 10:30am and go through to 11am. Children can take their grandparents onto the oval for a picnic,( please bring along a picnic rug), to the Undercover Area or to the Circus Tent area where tables and chairs will be set up and complimentary tea ,coffee and biscuits will be available. This year we will also have tea and coffee facilities in the Circus Tent area as well to help reduce congestion in the Undercover Area. We encourage children to bring along something special to eat for recess to share with their grandparents however, the canteen will be selling plates of cakes in both the Undercover Area and the Circus Tent.
The 11am 'end of recess' bell will signal the end of our Grandparent's morning and the return to class for the children. We look forward to next week and seeing as many grandparents as possible, sharing time in class and morning tea with their grandchildren and their friends.
Please could you email me on carol.hoare@cewa.edu.au by Tuesday 30th October, indicating the number of grandparents from your family who will be attending so we can ensure we have catered adequately.
Carol Hoare
APRE
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - 7 PM, WEDNESDAY 28 NOVEMBER (SAVE THE DATE!)
We will have two vacant positions on the Board for 2019.
Please consider nominating for a position on the School Board as this is a great opportunity to give back to the community and be involved in the school at a high level.
The P&F are also calling upon nominations for a new committee next year.
Please consider nominating yourself for a position in the executive or general committee. This hands on committee provides you with the opportunity to be involved in organising community events and raising funds for resources for our children.
Parents or community members who wish to nominate themselves are asked to fill out the forms below and return them to the office by Friday 23 November.
Community News
Spearwood (and Surrounds) Resident's Community Group
We are calling all Spearwood residents (and anyone else) who would like to be part of making our community an AWESOME attractive, safe, interesting and fun place to live and work.
Many locals are saying that they are feeling that Spearwood has been overlooked as the rest of Cockburn is forging ahead. So many exciting things have been happening in different parts of the City of Cockburn over recent years – Cockburn ARC, the Coogee Beach (WA) Surf Life Saving Club, the Coogee Maritime and Omeo Shipwreck Dive Trail, the Bibra Lake Playground (WOW!!) to name just a few. We would like it to be our turn for some new and exciting projects.
So, let’s put our heads together and get things happening.
A local resident’s community action group is about to be formed.
There will be a meeting regarding this at the
Spearwood Primary School
Wednesday 14th NOVEMBER – from 7.00 – 8.00
Things we can achieve together
You might have heard about the Spearwood/ Phoenix Revitalisation Plan. It has been talked about for years. Let’s work together to make sure that it happens soon and that when it does it’s the best it can be. With cafes and landscaped walkways – indoor and outdoor community spaces – for all types of activities – for young and old. Let’s take advantage of that stunning sunset view!
There are limitless possibilities. Let’s find ways to honour our local history. And protect our natural environment. And make our built environment attractive and liveable.
Schools are at the centre and heart of any community and there are many ways we could work together. For example, given our market garden heritage we could work together to have an AMAZING community garden - and School Kitchen Gardens in all our local schools. There are many, many more possibilities to collaborate and support each other.
It would be wonderful to see parents from our local schools have lots of input into this community based, resident’s group – whether occasionally for special projects or perhaps even in official capacity as committee members.
Please don’t be shy. Come along to see how you might be part of this now or in the future.
Save the Date.
See you there.
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