14 March 2019

Newsletter Articles

Principals Report

Thank you to our parents, staff and students for their engagement and commitment to our Goal Setting Interviews last week. It was a wonderful opportunity to work together to set personal, social and academic goals for students and their parents with the class teachers. The importance of working together in a school community cannot be overestimated. Our new platform COMPASS is a further way for parents to be kept informed of what is happening within our school. Every family will have received a separate login to Compass, as well as a booklet to explain how to connect to this portal. By regularly logging in to Compass you will be kept well informed about what is happening in the school, including information specific to your child. It is used by the school to streamline many school operations, from attendance, communication, event management and parent - teacher goal setting interviews. Please make contact with the office if you have not received your access. All notifications will be coming through this portal and the Schoolzine App will shortly be discontinued. The two main portals that we will be using as a school are COMPASS and SEESAW and all parents are urged to make contact with class teachers or the Office if they are experiencing difficulty accessing either of these portals.

On Friday we were visited by the Executive Director of Catholic Education Tasmania- Mr John Mula. Mr Mula had the opportunity to tour the school, visit classrooms and experience coding in Grade 6. Thank you to Jesse, Bree, Lara and Jordan who were outstanding ambassadors for our school in their role as tour guides and provided Mr Mula with a wealth of information about our fantastic school.

Kind Regards
Bernadette Brooks
Principal

Ash Wednesday

On Wednesday 6th March we celebrated Ash Wednesday. Our Grades 3 - 6 gathered together to celebrate Mass with our Parish Priest Fr Suresh.

This period in the Church is a time when we think about how we have been called into a special relationship with God and other people. It is also a time where we give thanks for the good things that God has given us and remember that these blessings are not just for us. We must share them and use them to help other people in the world who do not have enough food, clean water and healthcare. The blessed ashes that marked our foreheads on Ash Wednesday are a sign that during Lent we are growing to be more like Christ and a reminder that just as Christ gave of himself for others, we need to share what we have with others, too.

Over the six weeks of Lent, our school invites each family to contemplate the face of Christ, and support Project Compassion. Every family is receiving a Project Compassion Box and you are kindly asked to display it in a prominent place as a reminder to donate money during this Lenten season, so that we can help to build a more humane world and a brighter future for everyone. In helping the poor and marginalised in our world we are following in the footsteps of Christ where he showed loving compassion for the poor.

Project compassion boxes will need to be returned by Friday, 12th April.

Mrs Libby Piesse
Assistant Principal: Religious Education

Welcome BBQ

On Friday 1st March we held our annual Welcome BBQ. It was a wonderful evening and enjoyed by all. Thank you to all our families and staff who attended. A huge thank you to Tam for all her coordination and our parent helpers for serving, Allison for organising all the food, Cripps Bakery and IGA Austin’s Ferry for their continual support always of all our events.

Coming together as a community is extremely important for us all as we are in partnership for our children’s education.

Learning and Teaching

The Gonski report ‘Through Growth to Achievement’ is a review of the education system within Australia that provides advice on how to improve student achievement and school performance. This review then presents a set of impactful and practical reforms to be put in place across Australian schools in order to ensure that our schools are truly preparing Australia's young people for an ever-changing world.

The report identified ‘embedding professional collaboration’ as a priority, with Professional Learning Communities (or PLCs) being identified as one illustration of how this can be achieved. At Holy Rosary Catholic School our teachers already work within Professional Learning Communities. PLCs are an approach to school improvement where groups of teachers work collaboratively together to improve student outcomes. Each word of the phrase “Professional Learning Community” has been chosen purposefully.

A “professional” is someone with expertise in a specialised field, an individual who has not only pursued advanced training to enter the field, but who is also expected to remain current in its evolving knowledge base.

“Learning” suggests ongoing action and perpetual curiosity… The school that operates as a professional learning community recognises that its members must engage in the ongoing study and constant practice that characterise an organization committed to continuous improvement.

The term “community” suggests a group linked by common purpose… In a professional learning community… educators create an environment that fosters mutual cooperation, emotional support, and personal growth as they work together to achieve what they cannot accomplish alone.

It is pleasing to note that our teachers are already working within this approach to collaboratively improve student learning outcomes.

Ruler for Parents

Anchor Tool 2: The Mood Meter

News from Grade 3

Uniform Survey

A link has been sent through the Compass Portal for Parents to complete a Uniform Survey in relation to extending the wearing of the sports uniform.

In 2015 we surveyed parents and the results assisted in making the decision for Prep students to wear the sports uniform daily in place of the formal uniform. At this time we did indicate that consultation with parents would occur at a later date to look at continuing the wearing of sports uniform through to the end of Grade 2.

The continuation of wearing of sports uniform to Grade 2 is based on the type of play and activities that Grade 1 and 2 students engage in. In an effort to ensure that we consult with all and we have data to inform any decisions made we are asking parents to complete the following survey.

Any decisions will be communicated to parents and there would be a change over period of time.

Please ensure that you complete the survey in order to have your say.

Board Members

The Holy Rosary Catholic School Board is an integral part of the Holy Rosary Catholic School community. Under the guidance of Catholic Education Tasmania, its purpose is to serve the school community. In recent times, the Holy Rosary School Board has undertaken many short term and long term projects as part of the overall Strategic plans for the school.

Currently we are seeking nominations from the school community to fill vacancies on the Holy Rosary Catholic School Board to start in April at the AGM. These vacancies are for an initial 3 year period. The board meets twice a term normally on a Monday night at 6.30pm. Meetings normally conclude by 8pm.

If you would like to nominate for the Holy Rosary Catholic School Board or if you know of anyone who you think may be interested please contact the school office for further information.

Paul Crennan
Chairman of Holy Rosary School Board

National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence

Kindergarten Enrolments

Parent Circle

Our Parent Circle is seeking new members to come along to their first meeting for 2019.

Dress in Green Day

Easter Raffle

Hot Cross Bun Fundraiser

The Village – Birth to 5 Program

Community Information

Term 1 2019 Assemblies and Liturgies

Parents and Friends are most welcome and kindly invited to join us for our School Assemblies which are held at 1:45pm and our Liturgies which are held at 12:00 noon on the following dates in the School Hall or St Bernard’s Church unless noted differently.

Term 1 2019 Upcoming Events