Newsletter 4 2023

Dear Parents/Caregivers, Students, Staff, and Friends of St Raphael’s School,

We were proud of our Year 3 and Year 5 students as they sat the recent annual National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy Assessments, (NAPLAN).  For some of our students, this was their first ‘formalised national assessment’ experience and all students displayed amazing resilience and confidence in simply getting on with the assessment requirements. Our students are used to undergoing school based assessments, and we begin this process from Reception. The data we gather informs our next best practice in ensuring that our curriculum delivery is purposeful and students progress in their learning. NAPLAN results will be sent home to participating families later next term.

Corey-Lee Lewis, Assistant Principal, Leader of Learning and I conduct regular Learning Walks and Talks in all year levels. During these visits we ask our students to talk about their learning and how they can improve. We want our students to become ‘assessment capable’ and this means that students are able to talk about their learning and what they can do to improve.

Harmony Day, ‘Everyone Belongs’

Yesterday our students celebrated ‘Harmony Day’ and all students were given an orange and rockmelon as a treat, kindly donated by Foodland, Freeville. You may wonder why the colour orange and its association with Harmony Day? Orange is the colour chosen to represent Harmony Week and traditionally, the colour orange signifies social communication and meaningful conversations. The colour orange is also associated with the freedom of ideas and the encouragement of mutual respect. Teachers organised various activities to celebrate the day and Student Voice also sold orange ribbons. All proceeds were donated to Project Compassion. Thank you to families who supported the day by giving their child 50 cents to purchase the ribbon.

2023 St Raphael’s School Board

Last night we held our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and our School Board for 2023/2024 was elected. Part of the formal proceedings was to elect the new St Raphael’s School Board for 2023 and to farewell exiting members. The St Raphael’s’ School Board members are Fr Denis Travers cp, Samuel Chua, Corey-Lee Lewis, Matthew Pike, Kirstie Coultas, Luke Read, Mathew Gill, Gaia Ricci and Amy Thornton.

During the AGM Courtney Hood was officially farewelled. Courtney was on the Board for two years and during that time was the Chairperson of the Board. We thank her for her generous commitment in time, her wisdom and support in being part of this important governance committee.

Parent/Teacher/Student Learning Conversations

During the week beginning 3 April we hold our annual Parent/Teacher/Student Learning Conversations. This is an opportunity to discuss your child’s learning thus far. It is also an important opportunity for your child/ren to speak with parents/caregivers and their teacher/s about their learning, their achievements, and challenges. Parent/Teacher/Student Learning Conversations bookings will be open from Friday 24 March at 3:00 pm and booking information will be sent to you. Please ensure that parents/caregivers book a time with teacher/s.

Sports Day

Our students have been busily preparing for our annual Sports Day being held on Friday 24 March. All parents/caregivers and extended family are welcome to come along and support the day’s events. A coffee van has been organised for adults. Thank you to families who have generously donated items for our coloured themed raffle baskets. A special thankyou to Lindy Hood who very graciously wrapped all our raffle basket/prizes. With your donations we have made 26 raffle prizes! Students are permitted to go home at 1:00pm when Sports Day concludes, but only with designated adults, no child will be permitted to walk home alone at this time. All remaining students will continue to be supervised for the remainder of the day and dismissal will take place at 3:10 pm as per usual. We are looking forward to a fantastic day and I look forward to seeing you there.

With every best wish,
Mia Harms
Principal

Dear Families, 

Welcome to Week 8, the term has certainly gone very fast as our children engage in wonderful learning and experiences throughout this term.   

On Tuesday 21 March, the students were invited to wear a touch of orange and bring a gold coin donation to mark Harmony Day.  They were all given some fresh oranges and rock melon fruit at recess time and could purchase an orange ribbon to wear.  All proceeds were collated to support Caritas and Project Compassion and we raised $82.20. Thank-you for these donations.

Harmony Day recognises and celebrates Australians from all backgrounds.  Furthermore, it’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.  This message really emphasises and highlights our core values within the St Raphael’s School community. 

Holy Week Prayer and Liturgies 

Holy Week is the week which precedes the Easter Weekend and as Catholics we reflect on the story of Jesus during Holy Week.  Each morning during Holy Week, 3 - 5 April, we will be holding a small prayer liturgy at 9am in the hall.   On Holy Thursday, 6 April, we will have a prayer liturgy and the Year 6 class will lead us through the Stations of the Cross.  This will begin at 9:15 am.  You are all welcome to join us for the liturgies across the week as we reflect on this significant time in our liturgical calendar and come together in faith and prayer.

Monday 3 April at 9am in the Hall
Reception/Year 1: Introduction to Holy Week

Tuesday 4 April at 9am in the Hall
Year 2 and Year 3: Palm Sunday Story

Wednesday 5 April at 9am in the Hall
Year 4 and Year 5: the Last Supper

Thursday 6 April at 9:15am in the Hall
Whole School Liturgy
Year 6 Garden of Gethsemane and Stations of the Cross

Wednesday 12 April at 9:15am in the Hall
Resurrection Liturgy

We are at the middle point of our journey to Easter. Ash Wednesday signalled the start of the Lenten season, the 40 days that precedes the Easter celebration. It is when Catholics restore their commitment to spiritual observance through fasting, prayer and almsgiving. We believe that these practices help to move away some of what takes us away from God and are a form of cleansing which improves our spiritual health. So rather than seeing Lent in negative terms, we are invited to see it as a beautiful spiritual experience that will strengthen us and prepare us for the joy of Easter.  

Here are Pope Francis’ simple tips for fasting this Lent: 

Fast from hurting words and say kind words. 
Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude. 
Fast from anger and be filled with patience. 
Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope. 
Fast from worries and trust in God. 
Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity. 
Fast from pressures and be prayerful. 
Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy. 
Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others 
Fast from grudges and be reconciled. 
Fast from words and be silent so you can listen. 

Some simple ways of observing ourselves during Lent and always.

Blessings to you all,
Helena Card
Assistant Principal Religious Identity and Mission

In Religious Education this term, Year 5 students have explored how donating to Project Compassion supports the Catholic Social Teaching Principle, ‘Preferential Option for the Poor.’  On Monday 3 April (Week 10) all St Raphael’s students will receive a Holy Week Ribbon from the Year 5 students and are asked to donate a coin to Project Compassion.  Students will be able to wear their ribbon all week as they journey with Jesus in His final days before His Resurrection.

Thank you
Year 5

NAPLAN

Over the past week we have conducted NAPLAN assessments for students in Years 3 and 5. The students have been wonderful in responding to a different way of being assessed, although there was a big sigh of relief when all the tests had been finalised, from students as well as staff.

NAPLAN is a national literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3 and 5 (as well as Years 7 and 9) sit each year. It is the only national assessment all Australian students have the opportunity to undertake.

The purpose of NAPLAN is to check how well they are learning the essential skills of reading, writing and numeracy throughout the years. NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through the school curriculum and allows parents/carers to see how their child is progressing against national standards and over time.

NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process. It doesn’t replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance, but it can provide teachers with additional information about students’ educational progress.

Corey-Lee Lewis
Assistant Principal – Leader of Learning

Our Reception and Year 1 students recently visited the Art Gallery of South Australia. On the excursion, learners explored the different ways artists represent others and themselves. They toured the gallery to view a variety or portraits. They then participated in the My Portrait, My Story: self-portraiture workshop and were invited to reflect on the portrait and self-portraiture as a form of artistic expression using Reggio Emilia’s pedagogical approach. The Year 1s enjoyed the opportunity to express their own identity by creating a multisensory self-portrait. In their Visual Arts lessons, the Year 1 learners are continuing to add collage and 3D elements to their self-portraits.

SACPSSA Swimming Carnival

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected to represent St Raphael’s School at the annual SACPSSA Swimming carnival on March 31 at the SA Aquatic Centre.

Matthew G                 Manny G                    Senul R                      Mia P
Joshua V                   Caroline S                  Braxton C                   Luella R
Leo P                         Ebony N                     Nathan F                    Senuli R

For the past two weeks students in Year 3-6 were invited to come out to swimming trials at Norwood outdoor pool and students fastest times were recorded over 25m in the following strokes: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. The professionalism and perseverance that our students showed was outstanding and we look forward to sharing our results after the completion of the carnival. GO ST RAPHS!

School Soccer

For the first time in many years St Raphael’s has been able to register a Year 3/4 Soccer team to participate in the EZSSPA Association in Terms 2 & 3. Our team is made up of the following students;

Leo P                          Riley K                       Seb B                         Peter K
Leo P                          George E                   Daniel H                     Joshua V                    Matthew G                  Leo T                         Isaac V                       Julian S                      Nathaniel F

Thank you to those parents who have volunteered their time to take on roles as coaches, marshals and linesmen. School Sport relies heavily on parents and volunteer involvement. To be able to assist in school or interschool sport (like carnivals throughout the year) parents and volunteers must have a Working With Children’s Check. If this is something you are considering and you do not have a Working With Children Check, please speak to office staff and they will able to assist in making this possible.

School Netball

Girls and boys in Year 5 and 6 have the opportunity to play netball in Terms 2 and 3 on a Thursday evening at Netball SA Stadium. In order to get a team up and running we will need to have at least 9 players and have a parent/ carer volunteer with a Working with Children’s Check to coach and manage the team. If this is something that you are interested in please contact me at your earliest convenience and I will let you know more details about what the role entails. If we do not get a coach we will unfortunately be unable to register the team.  Expression of interest forms will be sent home shortly. 

Sports Day

Sports Day will take place on the school grounds on Friday 24 March, commencing at 9:00am and concluding at 1:00pm approximately. Students will be expected to arrive at school at normal time. OSHC will operate as usual (before and after school care) on this day.  Parents /caregivers are most welcome to join us for this whole school event, this includes extended family members. 

Sports Day will be a rotating ‘activity station/tabloid’ format (6 stations in all), followed by baton relays (Reception – Year 6) and tug-of-war (R – Year 6). A distance race also will be held for selected students in Years 3-6. Parents are encouraged to move around the stations with their child’s class. Pre-schoolers must be supervised by parents/caregivers at all times.

If a designated parent/caregiver is present at the conclusion of the events, there is the option to take your child/children home early. If not, students will remain at school until normal dismissal time at 3:10pm.

Students are asked to wear a coloured t-shirt/polo shirt in their team colour with the school navy sports shorts. If a coloured shirt is unavailable, please wear school sports top with team coloured ribbon attached.

Students must wear their school hat (named) to be sun-smart.
Each child must bring a named water bottle.
Sunscreen should be applied at home prior to coming to school.
Coloured zinc may be worn, however this must be applied at home.

Hannah Reid
P.E. Teacher and Sports Coordinator

Join us

Our Parents and Friends Committee meet online once a term via TEAMS.

These meetings are a great way to connect with our school and find out about fundraising and community buildings events taking place.

There are no expectations to join the group or actively participate unless you choose to. Your contribution can be as little as volunteering once to help sell sausages at a BBQ, to leading an event. It's up to you. What you can give is very much appreciated. To register your interest, find out more, or to make a comment or suggestion, please email Katrina at ktucker@raph.catholic.edu.au

Next meeting will be Tuesday Term 2, Week 1 at 6pm on TEAMS. If you would like to be invited to this online meeting, please email ktucker@raph.catholic.edu.au

Katrina Tucker
Marketing and Communications Coordinator

St Raphael's School is a place to Learn and Belong and we invite our families and their friends to join us at our upcoming events. Please check our events page here for what's coming up at your school.

Please go to the link here to see examples of work completed by our Year 5 and Year 6 students in their Japanese lessons this term.

On 30 March, Happy Families Founder, Dr Justin Coulson, PhD will be hosting an online Summit called Raising Resilient Kids.

Justin's goal is for parents, teachers, and those who work with children to see them for the precious humans they are; to connect with them in meaningful ways; and to guide those children to become strong, caring, whole adults.

• PhD in Psychology from the University of Wollongong
• Writer of 6 Parenting Books
• Co-host of Channel Nine’s Parental Guidance
• Host of the Number 1 Parenting Podcast in Australia
• Proud Father, with his wife Kylie, of 6 children

The summit has 10 key speakers who all have experience working with or supporting children. The Summit summary is outlined below:

Life is hard for our kids. And if it's not yet, it's going to be.

That means our kids need to be strong in all kinds of weather, so they can weather every kind of storm.

And what parent doesn’t want their child to be able to get through life’s many challenges and come out the other side – dare we say it – stronger and better?

That means raising resilient kids.

Click here to register https://happyfamiliesfamilyeducation.ac-page.com/the-resilient-kids-summit

Sarah Byrnes
School Counsellor

The first day of Term 2, Monday 1 May is a Pupil Free Day. If we get enough bookings to make it viable, OSHC will be available from 8.00am-5.30pm on that day. We intend having an OSHC Pyjama Party themed day.

Please book through the OSHC Fullybooked family portal. If you haven’t already enrolled your child you will need to do so before they can attend. To enrol them, please use the link below.

https://straphaelsos.fullybookedccms.com.au/family/login

If you have any problems or further queries email Anne at oshc@raph.catholic.edu.au