Emmaus Catholic Primary School
Term 3, Week 2 Newsletter: Friday 28 July 2023
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGES
A big welcome back to all our families.
How fast did the break go? So unbelievably quick! I hope you all had the opportunity to spend some quality time with your children. I know some families went off camping while others enjoyed the comfort of their homes and relaxed around the metro area.
It has been pleasing to see the children start back at school full of enthusiasm. They have not missed a beat.
RECONCILIATION - YEAR 3 STUDENTS
I would like to congratulate our Year 3 students who celebrated their Sacrament of Reconciliation on Tuesday evening, this week. A huge thanks to Fr Bonaventure and the visiting priest for co-celebrating the Liturgy for us. Many thanks to Mrs Perrella for preparing the children so well and to our parents for your wonderful support in guiding and leading your child throughout the preparation period.
STUDENT ABSENTEEISM
Over the last term and leading into this term we have noticed that there is a steady stream of absenteeism in the school.
Obviously, when children are not well and sick, they need to be home to recover, however, we have had some students staying home for a variety of reasons other than being sick. Please keep in mind that it is law in Australia that children attend school.
Again, I ask all parents to maintain communication with the school regarding your child's absence.
NAPLAN - YEAR 3 & 5 STUDENTS
Our Year 3 and 5 families would have received their child’s NAPLAN results this week. Along with the results you would have also received an information sheet to help you intepret your child’s results.
NAPLAN is a national literacy and numeracy assessment undertaken by Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students. In Australia it is the only assessment that all Australian students undertake in these year levels.
I would like to remind parents that this is a one-off assessment on a given day. Please keep in mind that this assessment was also carried out in Term 1. Hence, students have a variety of assessments throughout the year and will develop/grow at different rates. If you have any questions regarding the assessment or your child’s progress, please see your child’s class teacher.
2023 NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS CENSUS COLLECTION NOTICE
Every year Catholic schools, carryout two census collection periods. One in February and one in August. Hence, we are currently gathering various information for our August census.
Purpose of the Census collection:
The information provided during the Census is collected by the Department of Education in accordance with the Australian Education Act 2013 (the Act) and the Australian Education Regulation 2013 (the Regulation). The Act and the Regulation require the legal entity responsible for the administration of the school (the approved authority) to provide this information to the department to:
- Ensure the provision of Australian Government funding to schools is properly calculated and appropriately managed.
- Conduct research, statistical analysis and develop school education policy for the Australian Government.
- Meet national and international reporting obligations on school students in Australia.
- Publish and provide information about schools to the public.
NAIDOC WEEK AT EMMAUS
While NAIDOC Week was recognised nationally in the first week of July, which happened to fall during the school holidays, our students participated in NAIDOC activities upon their return to school this term. NAIDOC (National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee) Week is a wonderful opportunity for all Australians to learn about and celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Across all the year levels, students:
- Learnt about the significance of the 'Elders' and the important role they hold in communities and families.
- Identified the significance of the components of the Aboriginal flag and decorated a biscuit as an Aboriginal flag.
- Contributed to a multi-class NAIDOC Week puzzle.
- Decorated a eucalyptus leaf to create a 'Welcome to Country' wreath/art piece which is beautifully displayed in our front office. Come and take a look!
BLESSING OF THE EMMAUS CROSS
Our beautiful Emmaus Cross was revealed and blessed at our school on the first day back last week. Thank you to Mr Gair for his amazing commitment and craftsmanship in making the cross and to Fr Bonaventure for blessing the cross upon its unveiling. Our school's neighbour, Mr DeMasi also got his hands dirty in helping to erect the cross - many thanks!
Positioned perfectly in our welcome space, we remember that as the disciples walked away from Jesus' cross, feeling troubled and dejected on the road to Emmaus, hope and light returned to their hearts as they encountered Christ along the way.
We love the light that beams through the stained glass, particularly in the morning when our wonderful children walk the path at the entry of our school. Christ is certainly walking with us along our Emmaus journey!
WELCOME TO EMMAUS - TERM 3 NEWBIES!
The start of the term has seen an influx of new students (and a new teacher!) to Emmaus. Welcome to our wonderful school family:
- Payton (Pre-Kindy)
- Kiaan (Kindy)
- Talia (Kindy)
- Tommy (Pre-Primary)
- Hannah (Pre-Primary)
- Levi (Pre-Primary)
- Elijah (Pre-Primary)
- Evangeline (Year 1)
- Pavnoor (Year 2)
- Violet (Year 3)
- Mrs Angela Seal (Learning Support Teacher)
YEAR 3 SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
With the Year 3's culmination of their Penance learning program in Religious Education, eleven students from the class received their Sacrament of Reconciliation on Tuesday afternoon. Starting with a beautiful Liturgy, Fr Bonaventure reminded the children that sometimes we make wrong choices and stray from God. We are like the lost sheep, and we will be thrilled when the Good Shepherd finds us and celebrated our return to the flock.
Thank you to Fr Bonaventure, assisting priests, Mrs Wager and Mrs Perrella for preparing the students and organising the liturgy for this memorable Sacramental event. Congratulations to:
Nicholas, Hugo, Cooper, Isabella, Brianna Nathalie, Dante, Ava, Lucas, Phoebe, Zara and Poppy.
NRL FUN IN PHYS ED
On Wednesday 26 July the students took part in a National Rugby League (NRL) workshop. Our guest, Georgia Heggs gave the students an opportunity to learn and develop skills to play rugby. The students learnt the names of different teams, how to throw the ball, make a try, side stepping and passing the ball. The students had a lot of fun learning new games and skills within this workshop. It was great to see the student’s enthusiasm and they all participated positively.
Georgia is offering a six-week program for students to join for $79, including a Rugby kit
(t-shirt, bag and ball). See the flyer below for details.
We thank Georgia Heggs for her time and look forward to seeing her again.
Simone Wiles
PE Teacher
UNIFORM SHOP NEWS
Does your child still require formal winter or sport uniform items? The on-site uniform shop will be open this Monday, 31st July from 8:15am. Head down to the Multi-purpose room to purchase additional uniform pieces.
ECE FARMYARD INCURSION
This week we were so excited to have Farmyard on Wheels and Farmer Mick visit our Kindies and Pre-Primaries. We learnt lots of new information about farm animals, Cornflakes (rabbit) and Ollie (goose) were two of our favourites. We loved being able to hold the chicks, feed the lambs and kids (baby goats), pat Humphrey the pony, Gina the goat and Barney the sheep. This term our Inquiry Question is focused on ‘Where does our food come from?’, we are looking at healthy food and food sources. We are starting with a focus on farms, their produce and the animals that live on farms, and the food they provide. We are also looking at how animals are cared for by farmers, the needs of animals – food and shelter, caring for their young and names of baby farm animals. The Farmyard on Wheels was a fantastic incursion and a great introduction to our Inquiry Question.
100 DAYS OF SCHOOL
We are all 100 days smarter at Emmaus CPS! How lucky are we all to spend our first hundred days at our new school with amazing students and staff. Everyone was looking extra wrinkly, grey, hunched-over and hobbly today! Best of all we can have a Nanna nap (or two) over the weekend!
OUR TEACHERS ARE LEARNING TOO!
Learning isn't just for students! Our Teachers and Education Assistants engage in professional learning every Wednesday afternoon and this week we were treated to a wonderful session of coding using our BlueBots, Dash and Sphero Indi robotic devices. What a fun afternoon of discovery and learning! We can't wait to share these with our students. Take a look at some of our teachers in action:
BOOKWEEK IS COMING!
Emmaus will be celebrating Bookweek in Week 6, commencing Monday 21 August.
We are lucky to have a REAL author attend our school and share with our students her joy in writing and reading books. Nat Amoore's debut novel Secrets Of A Schoolyard Millionaire was Dymocks and QBD's 'Kids Book Of The Month’, becoming Australia's #1 bestselling debut Aussie children’s fiction in 2019 and selling into the UK, US, Italy, China, Estonia and Romania. She has written many other award-winning books available to all our Emmaus students to purchase ahead of her visit in Week 6, when Nat will sign each purchased book.
See the flyer below to buy your child/ren's books before Bookweek.
Monday 21 August - Nat Amoore Bookweek Author Incursion
Friday 25 August - Bookweek Dress Up Day (students dress as favourite book character)
CATHOLIC PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL
Our Year 1 to 5 students will be our first ever performers in the Catholic Performing Arts Festival, which has been running for over 30 years.
Performing as Class Choirs the Emmaus 1/2 Stars (Year 1 & 2 class) and Emmaus 3/4/5 Choir (Year 3 & 4/5 class) will be performing at:
Vasto Club, Balcatta
Tuesday 22 August 2023
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
This is a ticketed event that parents are welcome to attend and watch. Tickets can be purchased through https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1075819 by choosing the correct date (Tuesday 22 August) and correct timeslot (11:00 am - 12:30 pm). Tickets are only $4 each and help support the running of the Festival.
We are looking forward to this first experience, and the students have already enjoyed working on the selected repertoire, which we will continue to develop through the beginning of this term in our music lessons.
P&F SOCIAL NIGHT - Come Along!
All parents, caregivers and staff are invited to this term's P&F Social Night. Please join us for a what is sure to be a great night of connection, conversation and culinary treats (nibbles provided).
Date: Friday 25 August
Venue: The Guildford Hotel
Time: 7:00 pm
RSVP: P&F Social Night or via https://forms.office.com/r/DPZqw7YNAW
Please see the flyer for further information
EMMAUS FOUNDATION YEAR - BUY A BRICK
It's our foundation year and every single family at Emmaus this year is now part of our history! Even in these early months, our school community is centre of our school and we would love all here in 2023 to be 'cemented' in our school for years to come.
We would like to celebrate this first year by offering families and staff the opportunity to purchase one or more engraved bricks, which will be added to a new feature wall in our welcoming space (right beside the Emmaus disciples sculpture). It will be seen by all who enter our school for generations to come!
Bricks can be purchased for $50 each and one brick (with family name) or multiple bricks (with individual names) can be purchased.
For further information and to purchase bricks, scan the QR code in the flyer below or click the link below. All bricks orders must be placed by Tuesday 15 August.
- Saturday 29 July - Eucharist Thanksgiving Mass @ 6:00 pm, St Helena of the Holy Cross.
- Sunday 30 July - Eucharist Thanksgiving Mass @ 9:30 am & 5:45 pm, St Helena of the Holy Cross.
- Monday 31 July - Uniform Shop in the Multi-Purpose Room @ 8:15 - 9:00 am.
- Thursday 3 August - Religious Education Assessment for Year 3 & 5s.
- Thursday 3 August - Pre-Kindy & Year 1 Farmyard Incusion.
- Friday 4 August - Skipping morning session @ 8:10 - 8:30 am.
- Friday 4 August - Religious Education Assessment for Year 3 & 5s catch up day.
- Sunday 6 August - Transfiguration of the Lord Altar Server Training (after 9:30 am Mass), St Helena of the Holy Cross.
- Tuesday 8 August - Mary MacKillop Feast Day - Whole School Liturgy (Year 2).
- Tuesday 8 August - Confirmation Workshop @ 4:00 & 6:00 pm
- Friday 11 August - Skipping morning session @ 8:10 - 8:30 am
- Friday 11 August - Year 4/5 Assembly
- Friday 11 August - CSPAWA Awards Night @ 6:00 pm - Guildford Hotel
The next newsletter will go out on Friday 11 August.
Enjoy the weekend everyone!
God bless!
Sandro Coniglio
Principal