TWCS Newsletter Term 3 Week 2 2024

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students,

A warm welcome back to TWCS as we begin an exciting new term! We hope you had a restful and enjoyable break with your loved ones. As we embark on Term 3, we are thrilled to welcome new staff and students into the TWCS family.

 Welcoming New Staff

We are delighted to introduce and welcome back our new educators.

 Mrs Valleena Machado returns as our Mid Year Reception Class teacher. Having welcomed the children last term through the Little Wonders Transition Program, we thank Valleena for her ongoing commitment to ensuring all Reception children start their time at TWCS in a positive and supported way.

We also welcome Mrs Amy Moroney and Chloe Amber as Education Support Officers this term. Both Amy and Chloe join us with previous experience in ESO and Early Education settings. It is wonderful to have their expertise on our team.

Welcoming New Students

We are excited to embrace the newest members of our community. Let us extend our heartfelt welcome to the following students and their families:

Alyssa, Jordan, Anastasia, Alessandro, Tara, Alfie, Jianna, Magnus, Ellie, Marley, Isabella, Peter, Utah, Sahand, Collins, Gurfateh, Japjeet, Oscar, Christian, Laura, Jack and Henry.

As well as our Mid- Year Reception children, we also have a number of new children starting with us in other classes.

• Lilian (3/4M)
• Thomas (RCJ)
• Karin (5/6DM)
• Kenshin (3/4M)
• AJ (3B)
• Emma (4/5DM)
• Harper (RCJ)

We encourage all our current students to lend a helping hand to their new schoolmates, making them feel at home from day one. Our school's warm and inclusive environment fosters strong friendships and supports every student's journey of growth and development.

 Enrolment Demand

In recent times we have received a high number of enrolment enquiries and applications which is a wonderful ongoing endorsement of the learning community that is Tenison Woods. To this end, we have needed to establish enrolment limits for our Reception intakes in Term 1 and 3. We currently have limited spaces in the reception intakes in the next few years.

Current availability:

2025   - Term 1 – 7 places left

           - Term 3 - FULL

2026   - Term 1 – 7 places left

           - Term 3 – 10 spaces left

As you can see, we are quickly filling up! If you have younger children not yet at school, can you please ensure you complete an enrolment form and provide it to the Front Office as soon as possible to ensure siblings are allocated a place in our Reception classes.

Important Dates for Term 3

Here are some key dates to mark on your calendar for this term:

• Friday, 2 August - Year 3/4 Mass 9am
• Wednesday, 7 August - SAPSASA Cross Country (select students)
• Thursday, 8 August - Whole school liturgy 11.40am
• Saturday, 10 August - Parent's Night Out
• 12-16 August - Learning Conversations
• Thursday, 15 August - Whole School Mass
• Friday, 16 August - Assembly 4/5DM 9am
• 19-23 August - Catholic Schools Open Week
• Monday, 19 August - Book Week Parade
• Friday, 23 August - 5/6HP & 5/6M Mass 9am
• Friday, 30 August - Father's Day Liturgy Yr 2's
• Friday, 30 August - Father's Day Kick and Catch
• Sunday, 1st September - Father's Day
• Friday, 13 September - Wellbeing Cultural Day
• Friday, 20 September - Winter Sports Assembly 9am
• 23-26 September - Dental for Schools Visit
• Thursday, 26 September - Last day of Term 3
• Friday, 27 September - Pupil Free Day

Please note that these dates are subject to change, and we will keep you informed of any updates.

NAPLAN

This week the NAPLAN results for all Year 3 and 5 children will be sent home. Last year there were two significant changes to the reporting mechanisms. Firstly, the time testing was completed moved from May to March. While this may not seem much, it has meant that we are unable to reliably compare this year’s results to previous years.

The second has been in the scale on which the children are scored. Instead of having 10 Bands, evenly spread across the point scale, we have moved to 4 ‘proficiency standards’ – Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs Additional Support.

I encourage you to look through the results and utilise the Parent / Teacher Conversations coming up to ask any questions.

Dance Aerobics

With only a little while to go, our Dance Aerobics team, led by Katie Cummings is preparing for their competition at the National Championships. The Competition is being held in Adelaide again. On behalf of the whole school community – GO TWCS!!

Parent’s Night Out

It is fantastic to see so many parents registered for the Parent’s Night Out event hosted by the Parents and Friends Committee. With so many new families starting at TWCS, this is the perfect opportunity to organise a babysitter and enjoy the company of other TWCS families.

God bless,

Ben

Vinnies & Moore Street Winter Appeal – THANK YOU

Throughout Term 2 we ran our annual Vinnie’s and Moore Street Winter Appeal here at Tenison Woods. I would like to say a huge thank you to the generous donations of the families in our school community. On the last day of Term 2 Vinnies came and collected 12 large bags of warm clothing and blankets. During the first week of the holidays, my 2 sons and I donated a boot load (and back seat full) of donations to the Moore Street Center in the city. Both charities were extremely grateful for these much needed donations which will assist those experiencing homelessness by providing warm clothing and essential items. 

On the last day of the term, it was great to see students (and staff) getting involved in our ‘Pyjama Day’ to celebrate the end of term. This served as a reminder of how grateful we are to have warm, comfortable clothing to wear during these cold winter months. Students also enjoyed cups of delicious hot chocolate on this day.

Upcoming Masses & Liturgies

Mary MacKillop Feast Day Liturgy

Next Thursday, the 8^th of August at 11:40am we will come together as a whole school for a Liturgy to celebrate the feast day of Australia’s first saint, St Mary MacKillop of the Cross. Mary MacKillop was a person of action and didn’t wait for someone to knock on her door. She loved the poor and worked hard to care for them in any way that she could. Mary shows us how to open our eyes and ears, our hearts and our minds to the needs of others. She shows us how to serve others with kindness, love and understanding.

Throughout her life Mary MacKillop showed unwavering dedication to education, working tirelessly for the underprivileged, and showing deep faith in God. May these qualities serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration for us all. Like Mary MacKillop, let us try to be people of courage, compassion, and faith, ready to serve those in need and to stand up for what is right.

Here at Tenison Woods we strive to follow in the footsteps of our school’s namesake, Father Julian Tenison Woods and Saint Mary Mackillop. In all that we do, we are guided by the words "In omnibus caritas" - In all things Love.

Feast of the Assumption of Mary Mass

On Thursday 15^th August, Week 4, we will join with parishioners for the 9:00am morning mass to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. This day is a holy day of obligation. This important feast day honours the moment when the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken up into heaven, both body and soul, and crowned as Queen of Heaven.

Families are warmly invited to join us for both celebrations.

Warm regards,

Sheena Pattinson

Acting APRIM

Keeping safe Child Protection Curriculum

Our Term 3 Keeping safe Child Protection focus is ‘Recognising and reporting abuse’. Throughout the term students will engage in age-appropriate lessons through the Health Curriculum to develop an understanding of this topic in particular learning to recognise different forms of abuse (eg neglect, emotional). Students explore the concepts of privacy, consent, secrets that are safe to keep and secrets that need to be told.  The communication letter was sent home in February. If you would like any further information regarding the Keeping safe Protection Curriculum, please feel free to contact me or the Keeping Safe website,

 http://kscpc.2.vu/DE_ParentsCarers.

Students in Reception with Mrs Valleena Machado, will not start the Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriculum until the start of 2025.

Year 3 and 5 NAPLAN

During Term 1 our year 3 and 5 students participated in NAPLAN. The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses literacy and numeracy skills that are essential for every child to progress through school. The annual NAPLAN tests in reading, writing, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. NAPLAN results are being sent home of Friday. I encourage you to take some time to read through the information provided about your child’s achievement, you will receive a Student Report and the Individual Summary Report. I also wish to take this opportunity to remind families that NAPLAN is one form of assessment and is designed to support parents and teachers in providing the best possible educational experiences for student learning. If you have questions regarding your child’s NAPLAN data, I encourage you to make a booking for a Parent Teacher Interview with your child’s classroom teacher.

Year 1 Phonics Screening Check

This term all our year 1 students will take part in the First Year of School Literacy Assessment, Phonics Screening. The Year 1 Phonics Screening Check is a brief assessment administered to all Year 1 students in Catholic Schools to evaluate their phonics and identify those students who may need additional support in literacy development. The assessment is based on nonsense words, decodable words, and high frequency words (red words).

I sincerely thank you all for your on-going support and genuine partnership as we work together to support the learning journey for all students at Tenison Woods. I look forward to the term ahead.

Kind regards,

Claire Little

Assistant Principal: Teaching and Learning

In Weeks 9 & 10, 4/5DM recognised NAIDOC Week as we were on holidays during the official week of celebrations held across Australia. The theme for 2024 was 'Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud'. The theme celebrated the unyielding spirit of our communities and invited all to stand in solidarity, amplifying the voices that have long been silenced.

Students spent time observing, discussing and analysing the chosen poster artwork 'Urapun Muy' by indigenous artist Deb Belyea. ‘Urapun Muy’, from the Kalaw Kawaw Ya dialect of the Top Western Islands of the Torres Strait, means ‘One Fire’. Deb explains that she depicted the hands of [her] ancestors that have carefully dropped a burning ember on to a fire. The National NAIDOC Poster competition has become an iconic feature of National NAIDOC Week and has a rich and significant history beginning in 1967.

The fire represents the enduring strength and vitality of Indigenous cultures, passed down through generations despite the challenges faced. It is a symbol of connection to the land, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As we honour this flame, we kindle the sparks of pride and unity, igniting a renewed commitment to acknowledging, preserving, and sharing the cultural heritage that enriches our nation.

The students reflected on Deb's artwork and Heather posed the question, 'How do you keep your own fire burning?' Students responded through artistic representations, highlighting the people, pets, events and activities that ignite them. 

[NAIDOC Week information sourced from www.naidoc.org.au]

As students defrosted from their holiday break, they have adjusted back into classroom routines. We were all delighted to have Mr M return after spending extra time working at St Marys at the end of last term. Students were also very excited to see new tables arrive so we can work more comfortably in our learning space.

This week, we spent time recognising Mary MacKillop's upcoming Feast Day on August 8. Mary MacKillop is a significant saint to our school community, and we take pride in our connection to her mission. Mary saw families living on the margins without access to education and worked alongside Father Julian Tenison Woods to establish a school in Penola. 

Students took pride in drawing Mary in different ways, accompanied with relevant quotes. This August, we aim to walk in Mary’s footsteps. Like Mary, let’s be fierce in the face of adversity. Let’s be fair and act when we see injustice. Let’s give love to those we encounter each day. Together, let’s be Fierce for Fair!

[Mary MacKillop information sources from www.marymackilloptoday.org.au]