St Bernadette's Primary School Dundas Valley

Newsletter 2020 Term 2 Week 2

FROM THE PRINCIPAL...

Dear families of St Bernadette's,

Welcome to our first newsletter for Term 2!

It has been VERY quiet around here! I pray that you and your family are well and enjoying this glorious Autumn weather.

During the past two weeks staff have contacted you to check in. These are crazy times that can take its toll on our well being if we are not attentive. Humans, as we know, are social creatures who crave the company and love of others. Social isolation is not something we are comfortable with for long periods of time. Not to mention ‘homeschooling’ at the same time as managing work and home life! Phew, I’m tired just thinking about it and my children are adults! 

I guess my message this fortnight is please take care of yourselves. As parents we put all needs before our own. Please be kind to yourselves for without you being in a good place, your family will also suffer.

So as the weeks progress make contact. Have a video chat with family or friends. Go for a walk, listen to some music or read that book you have been trying to get to. Anything to relax and re-establish connections. 

Remember that we are only an email or a phone call away.

Stay well and take care! 

Love & Light

Lisa Gerrard

(on behalf of the St Bernadette’s staff & students)

FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Curriculum Update

Due to the current COVID 19 health situation, our teaching day looks very different. As educators we understand the importance of focussing on the basics of literacy and numeracy and have structured our online learning platforms to reflect this. The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has also recognised this and have adjusted what teachers need to teach and assess in 2020. NESA has given principals and school sectors the authority to decide which syllabus outcomes and content they teach and assess for Kindergarten to Year 10 in 2020.

This means schools may select the outcomes and content that will form the basis of the educational program for Kindergarten to Year 10 students.

The educational program does not need to address all outcomes or all content of the syllabuses.

Along with flexibility already available in the curriculum, this decision supports schools and teachers to develop teaching and learning programs for students as they return to face to face teaching. 

You will notice a focus on literacy and numeracy in your child’s learning. Teachers are suggesting that some reading, writing and maths be completed each day and try to get to the additional subjects like Science and History. Of course, this will be different for each grade and Stage with older students being asked to complete more work each day in a larger variety of KLAs. 

This also means that our reporting will look different this year. We are working closely with CEDP to develop and determine what our Student Learning Reports will look like this Semester  and how we can give you accurate information about how your child is progressing. 

We are so proud of how our school community has responded to learning at home. We thank you so much for all the work you have done with your children. We can’t wait to have them back with us and we can see their smiling faces again!

 God Bless,

Mrs Willard 

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION...

Sunday 03 May 2020 REFLECTION by Dianne Bergant CSA

This is ‘Good Shepherd Sunday’ and a particular focus taken today is leadership. Which voices do we follow? Why do we follow these voices and not others? Authentic leadership is rooted in authority, and authentic authority is the ability to author or bring life to birth. Genuine authority cherishes, guards and encourages the best in life; it provides rest and refreshment; it guides our steps; it nourishes us; it leads us to God. Peter is an example of authentic authority: he proclaims the truth, even if others find it hard to hear; he denounces error, even when this places him in jeopardy; he calls for a change of heart, even when it makes great demands. 

Authentic leadership is patterned after the leadership of Jesus. It is gentle and familiar, like the true shepherd; it has won the confidence of those who follow, as did the true shepherd; it is committed to the enhancement of the lives of others, as was Jesus. Authentic leadership is willing to forgo its own needs and to deny its own interests in favour of the needs and interests of others.

Heavy demands are placed on those who follow authentic leadership. Those who follow the Good Shepherd must follow him in the dark valleys as well as to the refreshing streams. They must be willing to relinquish some of their own plans and self-determination and entrust themselves to his leadership. They must never forget that they are following a shepherd who has paid the ultimate price on their behalf. 

© Dianne Bergant CSA

SCHOOL NEWS...

Transition back to class

As we know, news about Covid-19 changes almost on a daily basis. We have been given guidance but CEDP has been clear that each school will be in the best position to cater to the needs of their learning community. So we have devised a plan that will support families in sending their children back to school in the safest way possible. 

Here is our plan:

Students are asked to return in colour groups on a specific day. This will assist family groups but we remain open for those students of essential workers etc.



MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday

Week 3 

11th May 

Staff Prep & RFFBernadetteClare Francis Mackillop

Week 4 

18th May 

Staff Prep & RFFBernadetteClare FrancisMackillop 

Week 5 

25th May

Staff Prep & RFFBernadette & Clare Francis & MackillopBernadette & Clare Francis & Mackillop 

WEEK 6:  All students return to school 5 days a week for face to face teaching 

I have already had a number of parents contact the school to say that the day allocated doesn’t work with their work etc. It’s okay to change the day as all staff will be back onsite in front of their own class.

Should you choose not to send your child at all then please submit a leave form via Skoolbag or an email to the dundasvalley@parra.catholic.edu or this absence will be marked as unexplained.

Further measures that we have put in place are:

  • Additional cleaning & sanitizing of ALL spaces and wet areas.

  • Limiting the access to the site - we will not be opening the back gate until further notice to limit people in school grounds. All children will be dropped and will enter via the front gate. We ask that parents not enter past the electric gates to limit contact with staff and students.

  • Continued monitoring of social distancing.

Happy Birthday

20/4 - Stevania F 

22/4 - Alvin J 

24/4 - Lachlan B 

27/4 - Youran D 

27/4 - Lucas N 

30/4 - Jasmine I

7/5 - Terrence T 

As a community of Learners

Who were we before Zoom?? 

I again am in awe of how quickly the staff and students have embraced video conferencing. Over the past two weeks children have been involved in online guided reading groups or whole class conferences. This has been a great way to keep the children communicating with each other in a safe setting. CEDP has worked really hard to support this by ensuring that strict sharing restrictions are in place. 

Resources for learning at home

Until the majority of students have returned to school or Week 6, we will maintain an online learning platform. Teachers will continue to schedule work to be uploaded at the beginning of each week. As always we will have a printed version available from the School Office should you require it.

Please ensure that your child submits the work required each week. This can be in a photo of their book work or directly submitted via Google Classroom or Edmodo. 

Minimum requirement for student work submission

● K, 1 & 2 - 1 piece of Maths and 1 piece of English per week

● 3 & 4 - 2 pieces of Maths per week, 2 pieces of English per week. One other piece of one other KLA per week

● 5 & 6 - Maths and English daily, at least 3 pieces of work from other KLAs

Enroling now for 2021!

As we are now taking enrolments for 2021 please don't leave your application until the last minute. Enrolment forms are available at our front office or via the school website. 
http://www.stbernadettesdundas.catholic.edu.au/

Thank you to all of the families who have completed their enrolment forms and returned to us already. 

At this time all Kindergarten Enrolment Interviews for 2021 will be on hold until further notice due COVID-19 outbreak. This decision has been made by the Catholic Education Department of Parramatta and applies to all prospective Kindergarten 2021 families. However, our school will commence sending the first round of Acceptance Letters, while we are aware this is not our normal enrolment procedure, we are providing you with some peace of mind as we do not want families panicking that they will miss out on a place. 

Once we do receive the directive to commence enrolment interviews, we will contact each individual family regardless of you receiving an acceptance letter or not to schedule in a suitable time with our Principal. 

Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to meeting with you and your child at a later date this year.

Gentle reminder

Over the next couple of weeks the police and the rangers will be patrolling Cox Crescent. Please ensure that you are parking in correct areas and not getting out of your car in Drive thru.

Thank you

Thank you to our supportive parents who continue to support their children in learning at home. I know its been a challenge but you are doing an amazing job in whatever capacity you have managed. I remind you all again that if you need to work or feel that your child will benefit from coming back to school, we continue to be open for any student. From next week all non-vulnerable staff will return to their original work days.

So thank you again for your ongoing support.

PBS4L

Parents, during this time it is important to remind your child that they can still be safe, respectful learners whilst working online.


SRC News

While we are at home we use Zoom. We have been using Zoom Everyday for our daily meeting, shared reading and reading groups. My favourite Zoom Meetings is the Morning one because we get to see all our friends and ask all the questions that we have to ask.

Zoey

A message to the students from their teachers

Kindergarten

To all of the children in Kindy, 

How I miss my Kindergarten. Happy faces, eager learners, always on the go.

I can't wait to hear your news and tell me all about the world in which we live. I'm so proud of the work you've done. Your reading and writing is amazing. I just can't wait till you are all back and we can have more fun.

Miss Maria

Year 1 

Dear Sweet Year 1 Students

I hope you are all safe and well and enjoying some time with your family.  

Just wanted to let you know that I miss every day and cannot wait to see you all once again.  

There are lots of things I miss because you are not in class with me but here are just a few:-

  • Your smiles and laughter,

  • your very interesting news

  • hearing my name 20,000 times a day

  • being interrupted 30,000 times a day

  • you telling me funny jokes and stories

  • you making fluff balls with the carpet

  • your hugs, 

  • your crazy dancing 

  • your chattering

  • you shouting out in the middle of a lesson

 “my tooth fell out!”

  • you giving me a flower/weed as a gift to put behind my ear,

  • your high-fives,

  • you screaming out “I can’t find my pencil”

  • you asking “Can I go to the toilet, again”

  • actually I miss EVERYTHING!!!

I look forward to being with you again and you are always in my heart, thoughts and prayers.

Parents thank you for your support and kind words and most importantly doing an amazing job at home.  

“To the world you may be one person. But to one person you may be the world.”-Dr.Seuss

Love Miss Angela 

Year 2 

Dear Year 2,

Hello to each and everyone,

I hope you are healthy and having fun!

So good to see that you are working well,

Even though there is no school bell!

I can't wait to see your smiling faces,

and tie up all those loose shoelaces!

Until then continue to do your best,

Like George of the Jungle we'll beat our chest!

Be kind to your parents, they are doing so much, 

Say kind words and give them a warm and gentle touch.

I will see you soon, that will be great!

Together we will learn, talk and create.

Love From Miss Carly

Hi Year 2

I miss you all so much and can’t wait to see you back in our classroom soon! Now, I thought I’d have a bit of fun with alliteration...

Magical Mia     Handsome Hayden     Joyful Joshua

Considerate Caitlyn     Exceptional Ella     Amazing Amelia N

Radiant Ray     Artistic Arabella     Lovable Leo     Reliable Rachel

Jolly  James     Sharp Shane     Sensational Sam     Lovely Lily

Nifty Nicolas     Jazzy Jasmine     Adorable Amelia L

Almighty Alex     Laughing Liam    Original Orlando

Loyal Lachlan     Mindblowing Max     Marvellous Megan

I am very proud of you all for the effort you are putting into your work on Google Classroom.

??? Keep smiling!???

Love from Miss Steph

Year 3 

Hi Year 3,

Wow, I have missed you all so much.

You have all been doing a fantastic job of learning at home. I am so proud of the way that you and your families have been able to learn, first of all with the Weebly, and then with Google Classroom. I think you will all have to go to ‘outstanding’ when we are all back together again.

I loved our “Assembly” zoom last Friday. It was so good to see 19 of you, all wanting to show us something. Then wasn’t it fun(and a bit noisy) when everybody got to speak!!  I hope that we can do that again this Friday.

Year 4 

Dear Year 4,

Dear awesome Year 4,

I just want to say how proud I am of your motivation, effort and perseverance these last few weeks learning online.I miss teaching you in the classroom and I can't wait to share discussions and laughter again at school. The school grounds are too quiet and even the birds are missing you because they don't get to eat all your recess and lunch leftovers. Thank you Year 4 parents for supporting your child and the school during this time. You have done an amazing job!

Missing you all,

Miss Simone

Year 5 

To the children of Year 5,

First of all I have to say thank you for all of your hard work in these most unusual times. You have shown tremendous persistence and remarkable skills in adapting so quickly to working online. It has been a huge challenge for families, yourselves and your teachers, though, as expected you have risen to the occasion brilliantly!

St Bernadette’s, our wonderful school feels strangely empty without you all here. It is a powerful reminder that a school is not the buildings, the playgrounds or classroom equipment,  it is the people and most importantly, the children. 

I have missed seeing you all each day and am sure that you have missed coming to school also. I look forward to seeing you all on your rostered day in the coming weeks, even more so forward to, God willing, when we resume school as normal in the not too distant future.

Take care of yourselves and stay in touch with your friends and loved ones. This time will pass, as all troubles do. When it does I’m sure all of us will appreciate just what a special place St Bernadette’s is, where we will all come once again, to Learn, Live and Love.

God bless you all,

Mr Kensell

Year 6 

Dear Year 6,

I miss you so much. I can't wait until we are all at school together again. Stay safe and stay well.

Love from Mrs Brooker

A fun message from Miss Simone

Book club ordering is open online. Please place your orders by 18 May 2020.

Last chance to enter! Closes 5pm Sunday 10th May 2020

PARENTS AND FRIENDS ASSOCIATION

A message from the P&F President

On behalf of the P&F we would like to wish our mothers and grandmothers a wonderful Mother's Day. We look forward to seeing you all as things slowly get back to normal.

Stay safe and God bless.

Nancy Assad

P&F President

COMMUNITY NEWS...

Community Health Advice

St Bernadettes Primary School

St Bernadette's Primary, Dundas Valley is a community focused, Catholic parish school catering for boys and girls from Kindergarten to Year 6. The school strives to build a Christ-centred community where faith is integrated with daily life. We provide learning and teaching experiences which enable the children to deepen their faith understandings, investigate, solve problems and explore their learning. We recognise the importance of creating a learning environment that provides opportunities to develop 21st century learning. Technology is integrated into the learning at St Bernadette’s in all Key Learning Areas.