Advent Week 2

Dear Friends,

On the second Sunday in Advent, two purple candles are lit.  The light burns brighter for Christmas is growing nearer! 

The first candle of the Advent wreath was lit last week and it was called the Prophet’s Candle. The second candle in the Advent wreath is called the Bethlehem Candle.  This candle reminds us of the time when Jesus came to earth as a baby and was born in the small city of Bethlehem. This candle also reminds us that Jesus promised to come again.  According to Luke’s Gospel, these are his words: 

“Then the Son of Man will appear, coming in a cloud with great power and glory.  When these things begin to happen, stand up and raise you heads, because your salvation is near. (Luke 21:27-28)

When you look at the Bethlehem candle, think of Jesus returning to earth in glory and honour and bringing peace to the world.

God of light, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas. When we worry, are anxious or feel overwhelmed, help us to seek quiet spaces and trusted companions who will listen to us. May these times, places and people of peace remind us that you come to us to be one of us, with us and for us. Amen.

The fete last weekend was both an incredible success and a wonderful occasion for our community to share together.  It was also heart warming to see so many of the Holy Trinity staff in attendance helping and to see our older sibling/ex-students return to celebrate this day together with their families.  Please also see below our fete news article from our P and F-  we look forward to now begin sourcing tradespeople and resources to begin our play equipment renovation.  Thank you again so so much to our generous community!!  

It was wonderful on Monday to have the opportunity to thank so many of our school community for all they have given to us throughout 2023 ( and more), at our Thanksgiving Mass. At this time of year we not only do we thank many for all they have given throughout  2023, but sadly we also farewell community members.  On our school staff we thank and farewell the following members:

• Liz Bulley, who has been at Holy Trinity for over 18 years, firstly as a volunteer, then a learning support assistant and as ELC Office manager since 2011. 
• Angela Small, who has been here since 2012 and taught almost every grade  
• Jane Foley, who has also held many teaching roles, her most recent as Classroom Support Teacher 
• Tayla Hart, who has taught here for the last two years in Year 2 and Year 4
• Miss Bhwana, who has been an educator in the ELC for 2023
• Olivia Etzrodt, who has taught in 6 Red for Semester 2
• Wendy Jollliffe who has taught in 6 G for Semester 2
• Kylie Baines, who has been both Music teacher and classroom teacher for a few years
• Brianna Gray who has been a Classrooms support Assistant for this Semester

Holly Shaw, Courtney Nelson and Stephanie Leemhuis will also continue next year on maternity leave and Trina Twyford will be taking leave for 2024. Next week I will announce Holy Trinity and ELC Staffing for 2024. 

At the end of next week we will be publishing Semester 2 reports on Compass for all students Kinder to Year 6. I will send a Compass notification when these are available to read.  There has been much learning and continuous assessment across all grades to ensure these reports are an effective refection of your child's progress throughout the second half of the year. 

Highly effective assessment shares some key characteristics (Adapted from Clarke 2012).

• Authentic: It supports making connections to the real world to promote student engagement.

• Clear and specific: This includes desired learning goals, success criteria and the process students use to learn.

• Varied: It uses a wider range of tools and strategies that are fit for purpose in order to build a well-rounded picture of student learning.

• Developmental: It focuses on an individual student’s progress rather than their performance in relation to others.

• Collaborative: It engages both teachers and students in the assessment development and evaluation process.

• Interactive: Assessment encompasses ongoing and iterative dialogues about learning.

• Feedback to feed forward: It provides feedback on current learning to inform what is needed to support future learning (Hattie, Timperley 2007) and raises students’ motivation.

The PYP approach to assessment gives the students a vital role in the assessment process and engages the teachers in considering assessment as fit for purpose. Effective PYP assessment practice holistically integrates assessment for, of and as learning (Harlen, Johnson 2014) to support effective learning and teaching.

These reports conclude with a general comment-  this is the first time in a  few years that  these documents have included comments. We are hoping that with sharing on both See Saw and at learning journeys, and this detailed comment,  that parents will have enough understanding around their child's successes and areas for growth in Semester Two. Rigorous learnings and continuous assessment, reflected in the general comment is  a much more effective measure of students' progress and is of  far more value, than simply grading in individual subject areas. Parents are welcome to discuss further with teachers if necessary in Week 10, noting that parents will need to request these meetings via email with their child's teacher. 

Unfortunately as we have had persistent rain throughout the week, our basket ball courts and oval is very wet and slippery.  Thus the staff have decided to cancel the outdoor Christmas carols tomorrow night.  We will be creating a Christmas Carol video of every class performance and whole school finale that will be shared in Week 10. Please remember that our local community will still be facilitating Carols on the Block and our school choir will be performing at this on Saturday night.

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal

This week was the start of our annual St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. Collections will be open for the next two weeks. Each classroom has a basket for the items to be placed in. We thank you for your generosity at this time!! 

This year, we are selling Charity Calendars to raise funds for GSP. The photos in the calendar were taken whilst on Safari in Africa by our founders, Simon and Jann Carroll.

They are only $25 (incl shipping) if you purchase online or only $20 if you purchase at thr front office! They are the perfect gift for family, friends and colleagues, all whilst raising money for a good cause.

ELC School Holiday Program

The ELC will re-open on Monday 15 January for the School Holiday Program for 2024 Preschoolers. There are limited places available for current families that require care over that period, for some or all days. The program is available from 15-30 January (the school year begins on Wednesday 31st January). Please click on the link here to book.

Early Childhood Australia's Statement on Play

The ECA's Statement on Play reflects the commitment to protect and promote the right of every child in Australia to play. The Statement draws on robust evidence from diverse disciplines on the essential nature of play and its impact on every child's wellbeing, learning and development. This includes the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, on the child's right to play.

Each week the Newsletter will contain one of the 6 principles to promote and protect play for parents and carers.

PRINCIPLE FIVE

Play connects children to their world, their cultural identities, to others and to other ways of knowing, doing and being.

What steps can we take at home?

• Support children’s connection with other ways of knowing, doing and being by exploring local natural or social phenomena. Depending on location this could include learning on Country, following the regeneration of waterways or bushland after natural events, or a trip to a bakery, factory, solar farm, dairy or potter’s studio to investigate how things are made.
• Observe and playfully explore together with babies and toddlers—follow their focus, listen for reactions and questions, and share language to help them identify sensations and observations.
• Consider sharing cultural perspectives, games and play traditions with your child’s educator and learning setting.

Stay and Play

Stay and Play is a playgroup for pre-preschoolers and their carer each Wednesday in school term 9am-10am in the ELC Adventure Garden (weather permitting). All families and the broader community are welcome to attend.

Welcome to Week 8.

Every year, at about this time two gentlemen from the Lions Club of Canberra Valley pop in and donate a book or two to our school library as part of their Reading Action Program. This year Laurie and Andy popped in and donated ‘Penguin Bloom’ a beautiful Australian book based on a true story. ‘Penguin Bloom makes you face the reality of loss while it frees you up to soar like a bird when you embrace humanity once again’. It is also a gorgeous movie.

A BIG shout out to the fabulous Ms Fiona and the fifteen parents who volunteer to cover books for our library. This year over 500 books have been accessioned and contacted.

God Bless - Anna Z, Team Loader, Rachel B, Megan P, Nicole C, Stephanie L, Danielle B, Colleen N, Kate T, Maria T, Team Pabian, Christine McC, Michelle C, Susan L, and Anastasia K

Last but not least...

Happy Days,

Kate M x

Students and staff this week celebrating are: Charlotte B, Arthur W, Steve L, Ivy E, Lenny T, Gabriella C, Liana M, Miss Joy