St Jerome's Newsletter
Week 4 - Term 3 (Thursday 13 August)
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
Lord,
I feel so busy lately.
I pray you’ll help me
remember what matters most
in the midst of all I have to do…
Give me eyes that see
the needs of those around me.
Give me ears that hear
the meaning behind the words.
Give me hands that reach out
to make a difference.
Give me a heart that beats
in tune with Yours
rather than with
the clock on the wall.
Remind me often
that time is intended
to be given not spent.
And even in the midst
of all my busyness,
may I truly be about
Your business.
Amen
Car Park Matters
We again need your cooperation as we had a visit from the Council last Friday and they have made further requests regarding the Drive Through in the afternoon. Their concerns relate to the queue of cars in both directions down Rockingham Road and the congestion this causes.
We have been delighted with the support from parents helping us to get the children into cars quickly and efficiently, as this all helps to get those cars off Rockingham Road. Children are now placing bags in the front seat, jumping into the back and putting on their seatbelts. This keeps the flow through the Drive Through constantly moving. Congratulations parents! However, we still have a few suggestions to make this even more efficient.
It only takes one mum /dad to stop and try to reach back to put on their child’s seat belt to slow down the flow of cars. If your child is not able to put on their seatbelt by themselves, then please park and walk across to collect them.
Parents parking in front of the cones waiting for the Drive through to open, prevent cars from entering the carpark to park and collect their children. On occasion, these parents have made the point that they need to get to Seton or Emmanuel to pick up children and don’t have time to park. This is not a valid reason to block the Drive Through. Our children are supervised until 3:30pm and I am sure this is the same for Seton and Emmanuel. In this case I would suggest that you collect your child from the high school first and then come to St Jerome’s.
We also ask that parents:
· DO NOT try to turn right onto Rockingham road from Troode St as this is a major cause of delay to the flow of traffic.
· Particularly those with older children, DO not arrive right on 3pm but delay and arrive between 3:20pm and 3:30pm.
· Parents parking and collecting children are asked to collect their children and then to leave the carpark quickly as the numbers of parents crossing the crosswalks after 3:15pm is also slowing the flow of traffic.
· Do not allow their children to climb on the Shrine beside the church as the figures are being damaged and dislodged.
· Do not have your child’s bag in the boot, requiring them to go between the cars to place/or retrieve their bags. Bags should be on the front seat or on the floor of the car.
· Travelling north or south on Rockingham Road, please allow one car from each side of the road to alternatively enter the carpark, the queues on Rockingham road would be reduced and flow better.
. Please display your family name in the passenger visor of your car.
Your support with all of this is greatly appreciated.
On-Line Bullying
Several parents have now reported to us that students are engaging in on line bullying after school hours. The use of apps such as Messenger, Instagram and Snapchat and other social media apps, which require the user to be 13+years old to use, need to be monitored closely, if parents are allowing children to access them.
Several parents I spoke to this week who have checked their child’s history on these apps, have been horrified to read the language and bullying that goes on and have since removed these from their child’s iPad and limited their screen time.
One can only imagine how a child might feel coming to school after being subjected to some of the mean and unkind things said to, or about them, on social media. The targeted child’s ability to focus on their learning would be greatly affected and the effects on their mental health are immeasurable! My father always told me that there was never an occasion for rudeness and being unkind. People may be rude and unkind to you, but we can choose not to respond in the same way! We are an MJR school, where we talk the language of Christ and model our actions on those of Jesus. We see our children treating others as Christ would want us to, yet some feel that this does not apply on social media!
Please talk to your children, help them to understand the harm that can be done by being mean and unkind online, and if they don't understand this, then maybe they should not be allowed access to social media! This is a timely reminder for all parents to look at their child’s IPad and view the 'history' on their Social Media apps, to see how their child has been engaging with others. Please discuss with your child what to do if someone begins to say anything that is unkind or mean. Please supervise your child’s screen time.
Confirmation
Unfortunately, we received an update for the Archdiocese this week informing us that the celebration of this sacrament for school aged children, remains temporarily suspended. We will keep you informed when further updates are received.
Staff Carpark – Wednesday after school
May I remind all parents that the staff carpark is out of bounds at all times for parents.
We are finding that parents are tending to use this on Wednesday afternoons for netball. Please park at the front of the school and come through the white gates to access the oval. Thank you
P & F Meeting - News
The P&F met this week and had a very successful meeting, with parents attending in person and others joining in via Zoom. After the formalities of the meeting took place, the P&F enjoyed spending over $14 000 to support the children in the school.
We look forward to having many more parents attending our next meeting on the 8th September.
Carol Hoare
MJR Focus - Giver not a Taker!
AP Religion
Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum - Parent Tips
Tip #3 – Reinforce to your child the belief that he or she has the right to feel safe, and they also have a responsibility to respect other people’s right to feel safe.
Tip #4 – Use the language of child abuse prevention education to help your child understand the reasons for your decisions. Avoid saying, “because I said so”, as this does not explain why.
Speech Pathology Services
Dear St Jerome’s families,
I am writing, with some sadness, to let you know that from the middle of Term 3, 2020, Vanessa Mariani, Ellenor Dorsman and I will no longer be providing on-site private speech therapy services to the students at St Jerome’s Primary School. Talk the Talk has been visiting the school for almost ten years to provide speech therapy services and we have all loved getting to know the students and the staff in this lovely school community. However, we have recently re-structured our business and will no longer be operating within the Lake Coogee area.
If your child is currently being seen by Talk the Talk, your child’s therapist will contact you soon to discuss this situation with you directly. The school has identified another local practice to take over services at the school when Talk the Talk services finish. We will be providing handover to this agency to assist your child’s transition.
If you have any questions, please talk to your child’s speech pathologist or email Patricia Forbes, Talk the Talk Manager at talkthetalk@optusnet.com.au
To all of the families and staff who have supported Talk the Talk over the years, THANK YOU!!! It has been our great pleasure to work with you all.
Patricia Forbes
Speech Pathologist
Talk the Talk Speech Pathology
On behalf of the St Jerome’s school community, we thank Patricia and the Talk the Talk staff for their speech pathology services which have assisted our students for almost ten years! It is wonderful to have support providers who are willing to go above and beyond to work alongside our teachers and parents in the best interests of each of our students. We wish Patricia and her staff all the best for the future.
We have been fortunate in finding a new speech therapy provider who will be based at St Jerome’s on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Jenny Baker and her team at Fremantle Speech Pathology Services will continue the wonderful work of Talk the Talk. If you or the classroom teacher believes your child would benefit from speech therapy, please contact the clinic on 9433 4595. The therapists are happy to chat with you and there is no obligation to book in. There is no requirement to have a doctor’s referral to make an appointment. If you have any questions or are unsure, please contact Mrs Alaniz by email vanessa.alaniz@cewa.edu.au
Great Book Swap Challenge
It's time to clean out your book shelves and donate your pre-loved books to the St Jerome's GREAT BOOK SWAP CHALLENGE! We ask that families send their books in to school by the end of Week 6. On 2 September, students will be able to purchase a pre-loved book for a gold coin donation. All donations will go the Indigenous Literacy Foundation who will purchase new books for children living in remote communities. We thank you for your generosity.
AP Curriculum
Leave it to Jinkx
The Catholic Arts Angelico Art Exhibition
The Catholic Arts Angelico Art Exhibition is a much anticipated and prestigious annual event open to Catholic primary and secondary school students across Western Australia.
Named after Blessed Fra Angelico, Patron before God of Artists, this year’s exhibition celebrates its fourth year for primary students and its twenty-seventh year for secondary students.
Last year St Jerome’s had great success with a Year 6 student winning the Highly Commended prize in the Fra Angelico Category.
This year, the exhibition will be a virtual exhibition and a link will be provided soon, allowing access for everyone in our school community and beyond to view the wonderful work being created by our students and by others across the state of WA. An aspect of this year’s primary entry requirements was that students submit an artist statement along with their title to support their artwork and enhance the viewer’s understanding of it.
Congratulations to the following students for their recent selection to represent St Jerome’s at the 2020 Catholic Arts Angelico Art Exhibition:
Year 1
- Eva R - Poseidon in the Coral Sea (mixed media on card).
Poseidon is happy because his sea creature friends are swimming around him in the coral.
Year 2
- Chloe G - Charlotte – Pegasus (mixed media on card).
My Pegasus is a winged horse from Greek mythology and makes a beautiful constellation in the sky.
Year 5
- Josie C - Cardboard Man (acrylic paint on cardboard).
Everyone is different, so don’t be ashamed of who you are.
Year 5
- Kiara G – Jinkx, the Wellness Dog (oil pastel on card).
Jinkx, the Wellness Dog, spends her school days helping kids and weekends having fun at the beach.
Year 5
- Addison S and Sienna P – Noah’s Ark (3D mixed media).
Year 6
- Sophie O – Our Lady Help of Christians (acrylic paint on canvas).
During these difficult times, Mary protects Australia and helps us all to stay peaceful and happy.
Year 6
- Sebastian S - End of Isolation Celebration (3D plaster sculpture).
Celebrating the end of isolation with my friend with an elbow bump, our new normal.
Year 6
- Melissa V – The Bright Side of Nature (acrylic paint on canvas).
Even during COVID-19 there is a bright side to nature to be admired in all its beauty.
League Tag 2020
News from the School Nurse
Physical Activity for Kids
Physical activity should be part of a child’s daily routine. Physical activity is not only fun, but also important for healthy growth and development. Being involved in physical activity helps kids to make friends and learn physical and social skills. The two points to remember are:
· Children need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each day.
· Children should not spend more than two hours a day using electronic media for entertainment (e.g. TV, computer games, internet), especially during daylight hours.
Remember, by encouraging your child to be active when they are young, you are helping to establish a routine that will stay with them throughout their life.
Children need a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. ‘Moderate activity’ is any activity which is similar in intensity to a brisk walk e.g. bike riding or active playing. ‘Vigorous activity’ is any activity which makes your child “huff and puff” e.g. organised sports, ballet, running or swimming laps.
Any activity that requires your child to expend energy should be encouraged. For more information, go to http://raisingchildren.net.au .
Kind Regards,
Melanie Rodrigues | Clinical Nurse (District Schools)– Fremantle/ Cockburn region
Cockburn Water Polo is a new club based at Cockburn ARC.
The Club would like to offer your students free come and try for the month of August 2020.
We are contactable via Cockburn Water Polo email, Facebook & Website (search Cockburn Water polo).
For further information contact
Natalie Turner
President
Cockburn Water Polo
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