Notre Dame Catholic Primary School
Foundations for Life Long Learning August 30
“For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
(Jeremiah 29:11)
On 1 January 1990 Mrs Carmel Kempton joined the Notre Dame School staff as a Teacher Aide. I’m guessing that this date is before, or not long after, quite a few of our parents and staff were even born! The position, Teacher Aide, that Carmel signed up for all of those years ago was very much, as it states, to be an Aide to the Teacher by completing tasks such as preparing activities, hanging work, setting up displays and cleaning up. It would have been quite rare for photocopying and laminating to have been done as this type of equipment was only in its infancy at that time and, of course, we had barely even heard of computers. Fast forward to today and the role of the Teacher Aide has morphed into that of the Educational Assistant whose primary task is to be a genuine educator who directly assists the children with their learning. Not being able to use technology is not an option and, whilst we are all still on a steep learning curve, integrating this into almost every aspect of the children’s learning is the norm.
As I’ve gone through Carmel’s file it has been quite a journey from documents hand typed on an old-styled typewriter and fading fax pages through to the most recent documentation for courses completed all signed off by a succession of School Principals. Needless to say that Carmel has certainly stood the test of time and we all wish her great happiness and good health as she enters the next exciting phase of her life.
I’m sure Carmel won’t be a stranger to us as she has plans to come back, on occasions, to assist Mary Evangelista with the lunchtime knitting, crocheting and sewing groups that they have established over the past few years.
All the very best for your well-deserved retirement Carmel.
FATHERS’ DAY
I’m sure all of the dads and grandfathers had a great morning at our Fathers’ day breakfast yesterday. With warm croissants, fresh fruit and brewed coffee shared with their children what more could a father ask for? Thank you to Joanita Stapleton who co-ordinated the breakfast and to the many staff who started arriving from 6.00am to assist with the preparation, serving and cleaning up.
After the breakfast it was great to see a number of the dads who were able to join us in the church for our Fathers’ Day Mass. Thank you to Fr Quynh who, though quite unwell, inspired us with his thoughts on the role that fathers play in our lives.
I hope all dads have a wonderful day surrounded by their family on Sunday.
PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL
It has been a very busy week for many of our children and staff who have participated in the Performing Arts Festival for Catholic Schools and Colleges.
- Last Friday evening was very exciting for all of us as the many months of rehearsals for our school dance troupes came to fruition at the Perth Exhibition and Convention Centre. Whilst the Good Food and Wine Show was on in an adjacent room the main course was certainly the performances in the main theatre. Both of our groups; Miss Rognetta’s Year Ones and Twos and Mrs Donovan-Flintoff’s Years Three to Sixes performed magnificently. I was fortunate to be sitting next to the Chairman of the Performing Arts and two committee members who were very impressed with the performances of both groups and congratulated me on them. This congratulations, whilst greatly appreciated, belongs, not with me, but rather, with the children and their very talented teachers who choreographed the performances, selected and synced music, taught the children and designed and co-ordinated costumes. Both performances were a tribute to our school and I thank Miss Rognetta and Mrs Donovan-Flintoff for their dedication and skill in producing such professional and engaging performances. Very special thanks, also, to the many parents and staff who supported the children and the teachers. Both teachers have included a report and photos of their performance later in the newsletter.
- Yesterday our School Choir sang beautifully as they performed two songs, Never Far From Home and The Moon. Both songs were quite challenging which allowed the children to display their many talents. Congratulations to all members of the Choir and to Mr Loiacono, Mrs Evans and Mrs Notte for presenting such a polished performance.
DROP OFF AND COLLECTION OF CHILDREN
It has again been brought to my attention that a significant number of children are being dropped off and picked up from cars that are double parked in Daly St. Whilst this is a parent responsibility, I am very concerned about the safety of the children. I acknowledge that parking around our school is at a premium between 2.30pm and 3.10pm however, the drive through pick up in the Parish car park is a very efficient option. Teachers are on duty at the pick up zone from 3.00pm and the last of the children is collected from this area each day before 3.15pm. As the children are supervised by staff why not arrive at around 3.10pm and you will very likely be able to collect your child from the drive through without any delay.
The safety of the children should be the most important consideration for all of us and the few moments that are saved by unsafe practices such as double parking could lead to a lifetime of regret. If parents continue to double park around our school, for the safety of all, it may be necessary to advise the City of Belmont Traffic Warden.
DEBATE EVENING
Yesterday afternoon we were treated to very lively performances by our Year Five and Six Debate Club Teams. The topics of the debates ranged from the role of technology in relationships, to whether or not sport can have a unifying influence and then the contentious issue of whether a tax should be introduced for sugar and fat. All team members and the facilitators spoke confidently and had obviously done significant research on their allotted topic. What particularly impressed me was the way in which each team worked together to develop their argument and throughout the evening the audience was constantly swayed from one perspective to the other. Congratulations to all of our debaters and the facilitators for a very entertaining evening and to Mrs Jennings, Mrs Hennessy and Ms Carlton who have spent a number of weeks leading and preparing the children for their presentation.
SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY (2–16 September)
An important component of our continued growth as a school is to receive feedback from our key stakeholders; children parents and staff. To facilitate this, parents are invited to participate in a School Climate Survey which relates specifically to our school. All information provided will be collated by a third party and is totally confidential. I would appreciate parents taking the time to complete the online survey as this will provide us with valuable information to assist with future planning. Please visit the website below and use the Access Code as directed.
Access Code: ND2019P
Children and Staff will complete appropriate surveys at school.
ADVANCED NOTICE
On Wednesday 4 September we will be holding a Lockdown Procedure drill. This is to ensure that, in the unlikely event of a critical incident at the school, we are fully aware of our roles and responsibilities.
P&F COCKTAIL PARTY
As you will have seen in a variety of communications our P&F will be holding a Cocktail Party on Saturday 19 October at the pavilion on Forster Park in Abernethy Road, Cloverdale as a fundraising event to resurface the school’s tennis courts. I encourage all members of our community to get behind this event by purchasing tickets to attend and by donating goods and services if you are in a position to do so.
NOTRE DAME STAFF
Throughout today’s newsletter I have highlighted the efforts of many of our staff. I feel it necessary to let you know that for each of the events mentioned the staff participation is totally voluntary and well above and beyond what is expected in their role. I do not ask staff to volunteer to take on events such as these and the many others that are offered throughout the year and I am continually impressed by the dedication of all to provide such amazing opportunities for the children. We are all truly blessed to have such talented and generous staff at Notre Dame and I thank them for their continued efforts to make our school the best that it can be.
OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOURS PROGRAM FOR 2020
We are inviting parents to provide feedback regarding your current before and after school care needs in our survey below. The survey will take you no longer than 1 minute to complete.
Submitting this survey will provide us with information on the viability of running an Outside School Hours program for 2020.
The last day to respond is Friday 30 August 2019.
P&F COCKTAIL PARTY
Tickets are now available for this great evening to be held on 19 October at Forster Park on Abernethy Rd. Due to the size of the venue there are only 200 tickets so go online to ensure you don’t miss out.
FATHERS' DAY
4 YEAR OLD KINDERGARTEN 2020
Was your child born between 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016?
If your child was born between these dates, they are eligible for our 4 Year Old Kindergarten program in 2020. Registrations for 2020 are now open. Contact our office on 6272 7100 for further details.
3 YEAR OLD KINDERGARTEN 2020
If your child was born between 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017 , they are eligible for our 3 Year Old Kindergarten program in 2020. Registrations for 2020 are now open. Contact our office on 6272 7100 for further details.
Confirmation:
On Monday 2 September, the Year 6 students will participate in a Confirmation Retreat day. The retreat will be led by Faith Retreats and will take place in the Parish Centre. We ask the Notre Dame Community to please keep the Year 6 Confirmation candidates in your prayers over the next few weeks as they prepare to receive this special Sacrament.
Stefanie Bradshaw
Assistant Principal
SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
THURSDAY 12 SEPTEMBER
Reconciliation for Confirmation Candidates @ 6.00pm
SATURDAY 14 SEPTEMBER
Confirmation @ 6.00pm
Certificates will be presented on Saturday 21 September @ 6.00pm Mass and
Sunday 22 September @ 10.00am Mass
TERM 3 UPCOMING EVENTS
FRIDAY 30 AUGUST
Assembly PPP
EDU Dance
MONDAY 2 SEPTEMBER
Confirmation Retreat Day
EDU Dance
TUESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER
P&F meeting
FRIDAY 6 SEPTEMBER
Presentation Day (Kindy - Yr 6)
EDU Dance
PRESENTATION DAY
PRESENTATION DAY
Next Friday 6 September is Presentation Day! We are seeking volunteers to help cook up the Sausage Sizzle for lunch. If you can volunteer your time from 11am, please email me at Stefanie.Bradshaw@cewa.edu.au.
Any help would be much appreciated. Should your child have any dietary requirements for the day, please advise the staff in the front office as soon as possible. If your child does not want a sausage sizzle for lunch on the day, it will be necessary for them to bring their own lunch.
Stefanie Bradshaw
Assistant Principal
YEAR 4 CLASS NEWS
It is hard to believe that half of the term has flown by. Both classes have been working really hard and have produced some amazing book reviews to coincide with book week last week. Students selected one of their favourite books and wrote a brief synopsis about it. They also described their favourite part, indicated if and why they would recommend the book and gave it a star rating. The review was completed by drawing and colouring a cover page that reflected their book. We think they look pretty impressive and reflect all the hard work that they put into making them.
In religion we have reflected on the power of God and the forces of nature including the seasons. We integrated this with art and made a piece of artwork that represents the four seasons. We think they look very effective and each one is unique, which makes them even more special.
WASTEWISE WARRIORS READY TO SELL WORM WEE!
At Notre Dame we promote sustainability. It is such an important message for our students to learn. Some months ago, the Year Five students started a worm farm with Mrs Jennings. This has been established in an old bath tub (kindly donated by the Hindmarsh family) around the side of the school, behind the library. Thank you also to Mr Caridi for his creativity and handyman skills in installing it. Each classroom has been given a designated bucket for the children to collect their vegetable and fruit scraps daily. Students have learned what scraps can be collected and what can’t.
Twice a week, the Year Five students collect the scrap buckets and feed them to the worms. We collect so many scraps we have been able to start a second worm farm (also donated by the Hindmarsh family). The children are learning about being wastewise and how to deal with waste more sustainably by establishing a worm farm. They are also learning about what can be produced from it - castings and worm wee! Some of the produce from the worm farm is being used on the school vegetable garden, but we have more than we need! Therefore, the Year 6 Environment Council will be selling worm wee to the school community at a bargain price of $2 for a 2L (recycled) bottle. All proceeds will go back into the sustainability program at Notre Dame.
Stay tuned for further information of when and where you can purchase this “liquid gold”.
THE SUSTAINABILITY TEAM
NOTRE DAME DANCE GROUP
SENIOR DANCE GROUP YEAR 3-6
Congratulations to all the senior dancers who performed at the Performing Arts. What a performance they gave us. This year the dancers received the highest report ever received by Notre Dame for dancing. They really did themselves proud.
The rehearsal was an experience that was very new, as many of the children had never even been on a stage so big. We only had fifteen minutes to rehearse and there were a few hurdles to work out in that time, however, this practise helped us to learn what to do on the night.
I was very impressed backstage, to see the children were running on and off like professionals swapping all their props. The adjudicators noted ‘they moved flawlessly with their props.’
The adjudicators loved our theme, the costumes, the surfboards and above all the way the group was connected and performed together; each child placing all their effort into the dance.
The costumes, surfboards, lifeguard chair and above all the children lit up the stage with their smiles and genuine fun they shared with the audience. The final comment from the adjudicators said it all: ‘Brilliant!’
I would like to say a special thank you to all the wonderful helpers.
Thank you to the fantastic sewers:
- Mrs Chrissy (Palida) Puthikarun: designing the concept for the costumes then sewing and fitting them. Also running to Spotlight many times with me!
- Mrs Mei Lie: sewing costumes and keeping us in line with fittings, storage, shopping and the crazy fun of it all! Not to mention always keeping me calm when any hurdles arose.
- Ms Petra Harries: sewing and fitting costumes.
- Mrs Shelly Davidson: gluing on the lifeguard sequins.
- Mrs Jo Addy: supplying us with the lifeguard hats.
Thank you to the prop designers:
- Mrs Kathy Sheehan: designing all the surfboard patterns.
- Mrs Carley Chua: assisting with painting the backs of the surfboards.
- Mr Chris Caratti and Mrs Danielle Caratti: supplying the cardboard for the surfboard props.
- Mrs Katie Lin and Mrs Naoko Koizum: assisting with surfboard props for us to train with.
- Mr Paul Caridi: designing and making the lifeguard chair.
- Mrs Sue McKinley: supplying the chair and umbrella for the lifeguard chair.
Thank you to the backstage helpers who transformed our children ready for the performance:
- Mrs Chrissy Puthikarin and your lovely friend
- Mrs Mei Lie
- Mrs Daniela Boyle
- Mrs Stefanie Bradshaw
- Miss Kathy Gollner
- Mrs Vanessa Hull
- Mrs Petra Harries
- Mrs Caroline Wyder
- Ms Julie Carlton (for assisting us backstage during the dance)
Thank you to all parents for having your children at their classes, dress fittings and rehearsals. Also, to those who assisted in taking home props on the night of the concert.
Thank you to Mei and Chrissy for assisting us throughout the day to help us prepare for the night. Chrissy also was our lighting advisor on the day and truly helped create an effect that allowed the children and the costumes she designed to glow.
Thank you to the staff members who came to watch the children perform.
Mrs Tiffany Donovan-Flintoff
JUNIOR DANCE YR 1-2
WOW what an amazing night we had last Friday night at Catholic Performing Arts!
The children performed beautifully with great energy and smiles that melted the audience's hearts. I am so proud of the group and the way they performed and behaved on the night.
Thank you to all the parents for their support and encouragement throughout the preparation of the performance. Another huge thanks goes out to all of the staff at Notre Dame who assisted with rehearsals and on the evening, we couldn’t have done it without you all.
Miss Rognetta
LIBRARY NEWS
LIBRARY BORROWING
Students have enjoyed borrowing our new books from Book Week and the new editions of Morris Gleitzman and Roald Dahl books. We hope the students enjoy these strange and entertaining books!
WATER DAMAGE TO BOOKS!
Unfortunately, in the last couple of weeks we have had to discard many books as they have had water damage to them. Please remind your child to always bring their library bag on their borrowing day as this protects our precious books.
LIBRARY DAYS - PLEASE DO NOT FORGET YOUR LIBRARY BAG FOR YOUR BORROWING DAY!
Monday: 1M, 3P, 3M, 6P, 6M
Tuesday: PPM, 4M, 4P, 5M, 5P
Thursday: PPP, 2M, 2P
Friday: KM, KP, 1P
Many thanks,
Mrs Sarah Sarmardin
Librarian
NOTRE DAME DEBATE CLUB - Debate Evening
Over the past two terms, a group of Year Five and Six students have been learning the art of debating. Yesterday they showcased their skills in front of their families, friends and staff from Notre Dame Catholic Primary School.The debate topics were:
- That sport unites us.
- That technology improves our ability to connect with others.
- That Australia should introduce a tax on foods high in sugar and fat.
Every single student argued their points well, receiving some excellent feedback from our Go Zone Debating adjudicator, Saani Bennets. Saani singled out four exceptional students on the night: Abigail Brown, Myles Fernandes-Dodsley, Kristel Rebuelta and Henri van den Adel (chairperson). All students received a certificate for their participation.
Well done to each and every student who took part. We are very proud of your achievements and we hope you are too!
Mrs Jennings, Ms Carlton and Mrs Hennessy
We urgently need volunteers for Monday 2 September and Wednesday 4 September.
On Friday 6 September the Canteen is closed due to Presentation Day activities.
Kayleen McLean
Canteen Coordinator
UNIFORM SHOP
The Uniform Shop will be open on
MONDAY & WEDNESDAY 1.30pm-3.30pm
Orders and payment can also be made at the front office.
Danielle Lawrie
Uniform Shop Coordinator
SCHOOL BANKING
Every Wednesday 8.00am - 8.30am in the School Library.
P & F NEWS
P&F COCKTAIL PARTY FUNDRAISER
ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS
PARENT TV
"The most common reason children give up their power is because they think they don't have any."
Learn how to empower your children in the face of a bully here: http://bit.ly/2TNxDcd
"Teaching young children to 'use their words' when they're upset" by Child Psychiatrist, Dr Kaylene Henderson.
We'd all like our kids to be able to 'use their words' when they're upset (rather than lashing out, running off or screaming blue murder!). So how did we encourage them to do this? Join child psychiatrist, parenting expert and mother of three, Dr Kaylene Henderson as she shares practical tips on this helpful topic!
Sam, Britta and the ParentTV Team.
COMMUNITY NEWS
PERTH WILDCATS MEMBERSHIPS
CRICKET
VACSWIM
You can now enrol your children in VacSwim swimming lessons for the October school holidays.
With swimming pools and beaches a big part of the Western Australian lifestyle, it’s important your children are safe in the water.
Programs are available for children from 5 to 17 years and cater to all skill levels – from beginners to those doing their Bronze Medallion. They are being offered at pool venues across the State.
Enrol your children in VacSwim now at education.wa.edu.au/swimming