Dear Families,

On Sunday we celebrated The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, as we are Holy Trinity School, conversations were had with our students about the Holy Trinity and what it means in our faith.  While we acknowledge the complexity of this, in simple terms it is a celebration of the mystery of God as a community of love. Throughout his life Jesus spoke about God as his Father, himself as God's only Son and the Holy Spirit as Counsellor. Jesus revealed the mystery of the Trinity to us, not only to let us know the truth about God, but also to reveal to us the truth about ourselves. This celebration of the abundance of God's love is an occasion for appreciating what God has done and continues to do for us. It calls us to respond to the love of God, poured out into our hearts by Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Blessed be the Holy Trinity.

Please keep the Hill Family (Max 3/4 Blue) in your prayers as Megan’s mother passed away recently.

Primary Years Programme

As the only Catholic Primary School in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn that offers the PYP, Holy Trinity is proud to be an International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) school, starting in our Early Learning Centre (ELC) right through to Year 6.

At the core of PYP is our students. We focus on the growth of the whole child, with the aim to affect hearts as well as minds by addressing the social, physical, emotional and cultural needs of every student in addition to their academic welfare. At this time of the year, it is timely to revisit and celebrate the unique academic rigour and emphasis on students’ personal development that Holy Trinity Primary School offers.

The PYP framework offers significant advantages to prepare students for an unknown future. A few reasons why we love the program here at Holy Trinity include:

• We provide a safe, stimulating environment in which our students develop a strong identity as a learner.
• Its transdisciplinary nature: learning is meaningfully connected across disciplines as well as to the real world.
• Students are empowered to take action: the PYP prepares students to be caring, active participants in their communities and abroad.
• Learning is focused on the needs and desires of the learner versus a set curriculum: our units-of-inquiry are fluid and are purposefully crafted by our skilled teachers, with the interests and needs of our learners in mind.
• It teaches self-regulation and self-efficacy strategies: students are encouraged to be respective and introspective about their strengths and areas of growth as learners.
• Creativity and thinking is at the heart of what we do: students are provoked to think deeper and share their learning in their own ways.
• Innovation is encouraged: our world is rapidly changing and we want students to recognize issues in the world and also to feel empowered to seek answers.
• It develop well-rounded students who can collaborate effectively and act ethically.

This produces students who love learning and are motivated to succeed.

To celebrate the PYP here at Holy Trinity we have produced our very own PYP VIDEO. 

Finally, last Tuesday night we were delighted to host a Parent Information Night dedicated to PYP. Nights such as these serve to strengthen the ties between home and school and assist to develop a common language and understanding of the PYP.  Click here to access the presentation from the evening.

We look forward to hosting a second PYP night in Term 3 aimed at further deepening our communities understanding of conceptualized inquiry.

Save the date - 14th August

Peace and Best wishes,

Katie 

Global School Partners (GSP) Teacher Dunk 

Last Friday we had so much fun at our teacher dunk! Mrs Everding, Miss TL, Mrs Swan and Mrs Casey were the lucky 4 teachers who got their names drawn out to be dunked! Then, the teachers surprised Mrs Brearley by letting her know that they had collected their money together to make sure she got dunked! After she got dunked, Mrs Brearley proposed that she would donate $50 to see all the other teachers get dunked..... and as you can see from the photos, they did! The best news from the teacher dunk was that as a community we raised nearly $800 to go towards the water tank for our partner school in Kenya. Way to go Holy Trinity!!!! Our next GSP Event is the coin line on Friday Week 6, which will be organised by Kindergarten and the ELC. So start collecting your coins!!! 

Parish School Mass 

Our Term 2 Parish School Mass is this Saturday at 6pm. This mass is also one of the Parish's Confirmation Presentation Masses for the 2018 Confirmation Candidates. All candidates must attend one of the presentation masses over this weekend.  The 5/6 families will be providing supper for after mass. Supper will be held in the canteen area at school, NOT at the Parish Centre.  

Term 2 Parish School Mass - Saturday 2nd June, 6pm.
GSP Coin Line Fundraiser- Friday 8th June.
Confirmation Mass- Sunday 17th June 9am and 11am.
GSP Cake Stall Fundraiser- Tuesday 19th

At Holy Trinity Primary School have committed to multi- age learning for quite a few years now in the upper years (3-6) as we teach to the individual need in the classroom- children learn at their own rate, in a collaborative, student centred environment.  There is much research that aligns with this, allowing children opportunity to serve as mentors, take on leadership roles and increasing children’s level of independence and competence. It is not the class structure that affects learning, so much as the type of learning activity engaged in, its relevance, its interest, and many other factors including the student’s active involvement in the learning. This aligns with the IB philosophy and effective pedagogical practice of working collaboratively in mixed ability groupings.  Recent research also shows that  the mixed grade classes have similar academic results to single grade classes based on age, but social and emotional development is improved (Shutterstock 2015).  Children are not labelled according to their ability and children learn at their own rate. Older students can serve as mentors and develop leadership skills and younger students are given confidence to seek help and support from older students around them. Most importantly in a mixed age and ability setting, children are more eager to cooperate, rather than compete. 

Congratulations to our students in the Year 5 and 6 Da Vinci Decathlon teams who competed at the annual ACT competiion at CGS yesterday. The Da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students.  Students from across ACT competed in teams of eight across ten disciplines including engineering, mathematics, code breaking, art and poetry, science and english.

This was very much a team challenge and the children were expected to use their collective talents and work harmoniously whilst also thinking laterally. Thus, the competition placed a particular emphasis on higher-order thinking skills, problem solving and creativity.

The Year 5/6 team consisting of Audry, Claire, Sophie D, Liam, Emily Ro, Sophie C, Emily B and Anita, placed 1st in Creative Producers, 2nd in General Knowledge and 3rd in Ideation. Our Year 6 Team of Sofia W, William P, Georgia F, Georgia O, Grace P, Oliver D, Rosie N and Leo performed admirably as well, finishing second in the Mathematics discipline.

Seeing our students shine in academic competitions like the annual da Vinci Decathlon demonstrates the depth of talent we have within the School. Both teams were an absolute credit to the School. Congratulations on an outstanding effort. 

FINDING THE OFF SWITCH WHEN KIDS WORRY

BY MICHAEL GROSE

Rumination is the ruination of a peaceful mind.

If you’ve ever spent a sleepless night worrying then you’ll know how problems always seem bigger when you keep tossing them around in your head.

It can seem like everything is stacked against you. When this happens you’ve got to find the off switch so you can get away from your worries for a while.

The same principle holds for children and teenagers when they worry. Their problems just seem to get bigger and they need to turn them off or tone them down so they can ease their anxiety.

There are eight easy-to-learn strategies that you can teach your kids to prevent them from ruminating – going over the same thoughts and worries over and over again.

1. Broaden their vision

Kids get tunnel vision when they worry. They often can’t see the bigger picture. For instance, a young person may fret over minor work matters such getting the exact font match for an assignment they are working on, and neglect to get the sleep necessary for good learning the next day. Sometimes it takes a wise adult to remind children and young people about what really is important to them.

2. Put their attention elsewhere

Placing attention away from worries is an age old technique for parents and teachers. Commonly known as distraction, the act of focusing attention on something other than what causes them distress is vital for good mental health. Examples of distractions include – going outside, playing a game, shooting some basketball hoops or listening to music.

3. Give the worry a name

Somehow giving a worry a name makes it feel less scary and more manageable. My favourite picture storybook for toddlers ‘There’s a Hippopotamus on our Roof‘ by Hazel Edwards personifies fear of the dark as a friendly hippo. Much more friendly and easier to boss around if you’re a child.

4. Put your worries in a jar

Wouldn’t it be great to put all your worries into a safe and throw away the key? As an adult you may do this when you take time out to watch your favourite TV show; or lose yourself wandering for hours online. Children need something a little more practical. They can write their worries on some paper and lock them in away in a jar by the side of the bed at the end of the day. It’s good to know that their worries can’t get out because they are locked up tight.

5. Limit talking time

It’s good if kids can talk about what’s on their mind but talking needs to be contained to prevent their worries from dominating their lives. Set aside ten minutes a day to talk about their worries and then put worry time aside until tomorrow.

6. Normalise rather than lionise their anxiety

Anxious kids are very sensitive to their parents concerns and worries. One way we build their concerns is by continually reassuring them that things will be fine. One reassurance should be sufficient most of the time followed by “I’ve already talked to you about that.” Continually going over old ground can allow worries to linger longer than necessary.

7. Give him the tools to relax

My wife relaxes in front of the TV, which is sufficient for her to take her mind off her worries. Some people need a bigger set of tools including mindfulness and exercise to help us neutralise our worries.

8. Move baby move

Get kids moving. Physical exercise is not only a great distraction but it release feel-good endorphins that help children and young people feel better and more optimistic about the future.

Last week in the library we celebrated National Simultaneous Storytime and Sorry Day. Both were fabulous occasions and enjoyed by all.

Over 1 million school children from Australia and New Zealand were involved in the National Simultaneous Storytime for 2018. The book read was ‘Hickory Dickory Dash’ by Tony Wilson. We watched it altogether in the hall, on the big screen. Each class then had a range of optional activities to complete.

We were then lucky enough to have Coral Vass and Dub Leffler join us on Friday morning to share with us their new book ‘Sorry Day’. Coral was the author and Dub the illustrator.  

K – 6 joined us for the Acknowledgement to Country and the reading of ‘Sorry Day’. Then 3/4 had a session with Dub on being an illustrator and 5/6 went to Coral for a session on being an author, then both classes swapped. We learnt so much about ‘Sorry Day’ and the kids were a fantastic audience. Dub’s illustrations were incredible. The more you look, the more you saw. Dub and Coral’s visit really unpacked their new book for is and gave us a real understadning of "Sorry Day". 

 I do hope that your kids told you a little about the above activities last week.

Happy reading,

Kate x

P.S. Don’t forget that the Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge (CMRC) is on.

You very simply download the QR reader app then scan the HT CMRC QR code (below), record your book and hey presto your reading list is sent to me. Codes are also displayed around the school.

Alternatively, you collect a CMRC form from the library.

When 15 books are completed your child / children get a dot next to their name on the display outside of Year 1.

Each dot =
1 raffle ticket for ELC – 2
2 raffle tickets for 3 – 6. `
Books have to be checked by parents and must be age appropriate.

All children are required to complete the challenge.

South Western Cross Country

 On Monday the 4^th of June a number of students from Years 2 to 6 will attend the South Western Cross Country Carnival. They will compete in distance races from 1km through to 3km. For families who are coming out to the carnival please look out for our school flag as this will be out at our meeting point. We wish all the students who have qualified for this event the best of luck.

Junior Tennis Coaching - Tennis Canberra Clubs - FREE Racquet, Player Shirt & Trial Lessons Available

2018 Autumn/Winter Junior Timetable

• Monday - Old Parliament House Tennis Club
• Tuesday - Turner Tennis Club
• Wednesday - Barton Tennis Club or Reid Tennis Club
• Thursday - Majura Tennis Club (Dickson)
• Friday - Erindale Active Leisure Centre (Tuggeranong)
• Saturday - Majura Tennis Club (Dickson) & Old Parliament House Tennis Club

Sign Up*: www.tenniscanberra.com.au/junior-tennis/

Free Trial: www.tenniscanberra.com.au/try-tennis/

For more information: Email play@tenniscanberra.com.au or call 0416 186 121

Do you have 10 or more tokens?

If so, it’s time to choose a reward for consistent saving.

                                     

All rewards listed are available while stocks last.

Print off the above and fill in your details or write down your reward choice and include it with your next banking. 

If you are unsure how many tokens you have, please write us a note and we will let you know.

10 tokens=1 reward.  Students with 20 tokens can choose 2 rewards.

            

Excited to report that we are fast approaching our new goal of 40 membership sales (currently sitting at 36 to date, yay!)…maybe we should set a new target of 50 memberships? ($12 per membership is donated directly to HT)

2018/2019 Digital and book memberships for ACT and surrounds are going fast but there is still time to purchase – get in quick!  Memberships valid until 1 June 2019 for you to enjoy
12 months of valuable dining, shopping, travel offers and lots more with family and friends.

Click on the link or tab below to order or access our online HT payment page (https://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/232w05) for electronic completion.

Don't forget to select "Pick Up" as Delivery Option for hard copy memberships - we will send it home with your child/ren via school classroom bags.

Any qus or issues, please contact Jo Hamilton on htpsentertainmentbook@gmail.com or
0407 002 513.

Thank you for your awesome support - it is genuinely appreciated