Term 2 Week 9 2024 Newsletter
Contents
- Useful Links
- From the Principal
- Keeping Children Safe - Child Protection Curriculum
- From the Assistant Principal Religious Identity & Mission
- Sacrament of Confirmation gallery
- From the Assistant Principal Learning, Engagement & Teaching
- Professional Learning gallery
- Early dismissal information ...
- Sporting achievements
- Inaugural Catholic Schools Basketball Carnival gallery
- Class update - RJC
- Class update - RJC gallery
- Class update - 5/6LT
- Class update - 5/6LT gallery
- Specialist update - Music
- Specialist update - Music gallery
- Early Learning @ OLQP!
- Second hand uniform shop
- Before & After School Care
- Community News
- A chance to support Childhood Cancer Charities
- Childhood Cancer Charities event prizes
- PlayStart Soccer
- Net Set Go!
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Term 2 Week 9 2024 Newsletter
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Download any of the following documents by clicking on the link.
Policies
Playgroup & Occasional Care
Parents & Friends Committee
- Email: PNF@olpq.catholic.edu.au
Second hand Uniform Shop
- Please note that the Parents and Friends Committee are no longer accepting uniforms for sale on consignment.
Enrolments
Canteen
Qkr!
Term calendars
- Term 1, 2024 calendar
- Term 2, 2024 calendar - Updated 05/24
- Term 3, 2024 calendar - Updated 05/24
- Term 4, 2024 calendar - Updated 05/24
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I cannot explain the reason, but the older I get, the faster time seems to pass! It is hard to believe we are at the halfway mark of the school year. As a school community, we managed to squeeze an incredible amount into 20 school weeks. These weeks have been filled with rich learning opportunities provided by staff; staff that give their very all for the benefit of all students in our care.
Over the last few weeks, I have met with many prospective families looking at joining the OLQP community, as has been the case throughout the year so far. It is always a heartfelt moment when I hear that families have been recommended to the school or that they have heard wonderful things about the school. I thank you for sharing with others your satisfaction, celebrations, and appreciation of the school.
2025 and beyond
It might seem strange however many hours have already gone into planning for 2025 as well as the next decade. As mentioned in the first edition of this term's newsletter, we have been planning for the predicted growth of the school, as well as how we can continue to provide excellent teaching and learning balanced with having a caring, safe, and loving environment. This planning has included:
- Our physical space
- Staffing
- Future building work
- Class structures
- Class locations
- Minimal disruption to student learning
I hope to be able to unpack more information with families as soon as possible. You may not be aware that in:
- 2022 we were an 8 class school,
- 2023 we were a 9 class school,
- 2024 we are a 10 class school,
- 2025 we will be an 11-12 class school.
Despite this growth, the transition has processedly smoothly. I am mindful that schools can grow quickly. A trap of rapid growth can be that schools do not plan wisely, and the hard work previously put in place can quickly come undone. As we grow, we have increased our structures to ensure this does not occur at OLQP.
As always, please feel welcome to contact me in the event you have any questions or concerns.
Staffing
I recently distriubted a letter via SeeSaw about some staffing changes. Though it was only shared recently, the planning was initiated and put in place weeks in advance, and ensures any disruption to learning is minimised. This planning included having familiar staff look after students whilst teachers are on leave.
We welcomed Julie Binnington to our school community. Julie is an experienced Education Support Officer (ESO) who has quickly settled in our school community.
Students
We farewelled a small number of families this term, all of whom moved out of the area, and we welcomed several new students and their families to our community. In Term 3, we will welcome our Mid Year Reception class to the school, as well as four new students in different year levels.
It would appear that we have become expert welcomers. Students that join our community part way through the year all report feeling welcomed and, hence, have settled in quickly.
Thank you
I hope I have made you aware of how thankful I am for the partnerships we have between the school, families, and the wider community. It is together we continue to make our school an amazing place. I talk to students about being amazing. I believe we have amazing students, amazing staff, and amazing families. This doesn’t mean that we are always perfect but it does mean that if we aim for amazing, we create opportunities for everyone to achieve this. I constantly aspire to being an amazing principal.
What I love about the word amazing is that it is endless. When we reach a level of being amazing, we celebrate it, and then set our sights on a new level of amazing!
Reports
Your child’s report will be available for collection from the office from late Monday afternoon, 1 July 2024. We do not send reports home with students. In the event you are unable to collect your child’s report by the end of the term (Friday 5 July 2024), it will be posted during the first week of the holidays.
Well done to the members of our school band who competed at the "Battle of the Rock Bands" recently. Thank you to Andrew Heuzenroeder for his amazing effort in preparing the students for this event.
The last day of Term 2 is Friday 5 July with a 1.30pm dismissal. For students who cannot be collected at this time, please contact Jo Fahey about securing a place in OSHC.
Term 3 begins on Monday 22 July. Have a safe and happy term break!
Lee Abela
Principal
Child protection
Each year, as a school, we teach students about Child Protection. This is done through the Keeping Safe Curriculum. Please fell welcome to contact the school if you have any questions regarding this.
www.education.sa.gov.au/parents-and-families/curriculum-and-learning/early-years/keeping-safe-child-protection-curriculum-information-parents-and-carers
In addition to this, our school also follows the "Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy".
Click HERE or on the document image to access this information.
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Sacrament of Confirmation
On Wednesday night and as a parish, we celebrated the sacrament of Confirmation, the next step after Baptism. It establishes young adults as full members of faith. This sacrament is called Confirmation because the faith given in Baptism is now confirmed and made strong. During Baptism, parents and godparents make promises to believe in God and the Church on a child’s behalf. At Confirmation, the candidates renew those same promises, this time speaking for themselves.
During Confirmation, the focus is on the Holy Spirit, who confirmed the apostles at Pentecost and gave them courage to practise their faith. Catholics believe that the same Holy Spirit confirms during the sacrament of Confirmation and gives them the same gifts.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are:
- wisdom,
- understanding,
- right judgment,
- courage,
- knowledge,
- reverence, and
- awe.
Our ceremony was led by the Vicar General, Fr Dean Marin, and our parish priest, Fr Jacek Wojcik. It was a wonderful evening, celebrated with the support of our wonderful families, sponsors, and school staff at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church.
Congratulations to Maya, Alex, Douglas, and Jayda on completing their Sacrament of Confirmation.
Marissa Redden
Assistant Principal
Religious Identity & Mission
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Enhancing student learning: Our staff's commitment to professional growth in Numeracy Progressions
At Our Lady Queen of Peace School, we are dedicated to continuously improving our teaching practices to better serve our students. On Tuesday 11 June, our staff engaged in professional learning focused on Numeracy Progressions within the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) framework.
Understanding numeracy progressions
The Numeracy Progressions are designed to outline the typical sequence of learning that students follow as they develop their mathematical skills. They provide a clear roadmap for teachers to understand where each student is in their learning journey and identify the next steps needed to advance their skills. By aligning our teaching strategies with these progressions, we can ensure that our students receive tailored instruction that meets their individual needs.
Professional learning sessions
Supported by Rosa Angelina, our experienced Systems Coach from Catholic Education South Australia, the sessions provided valuable insights into:
- Mapping student progress: Understanding how to track student progress along the numeracy continuum and use this information to guide instruction.
- Designing assessments: Creating assessment pieces that are aligned with the numeracy progressions, allowing us to accurately gauge student understanding and identify areas for improvement.
- Differentiating instruction: Developing strategies to differentiate instruction based on students' current levels of understanding, ensuring that all students are challenged and supported appropriately.
- Informing teaching practices: Using data from assessments to inform and adjust teaching practices, ensuring that our instructional methods are effective and responsive to student needs.
A commitment to continuous improvement
At Our Lady Queen of Peace School, we believe that professional development is key to maintaining a high standard of education. Our participation in these professional learning sessions is just one example of our ongoing efforts to stay at the forefront of educational best practices. We are proud of our staff's dedication to their professional growth and their unwavering commitment to enhancing student learning. Thank you for your support as we strive to create a learning environment that nurtures and inspires every student.
Announcing: Book Week 2024!
We are thrilled to announce the upcoming Book Week 2024 in Term 3, an event eagerly anticipated by our entire school community. This year, the theme is "Reading is Magic", capturing the enchanting and transformative power of books.
Dates to Remember
- Book Week 2024 will be celebrated 17-23 August 2024.
With our 2024 Children's Book Week theme, "Reading is Magic", we are celebrating reading stories and their amazing power to transport minds. The magic of reading lies in its power of enticement; a good story provokes conversations. Talking about the stories with others connects the reader with other readers. Wrapped around all of this are the "tricks" and skills of our amazing writers and illustrators, as they use all their powers of language and illustration to engage the reader in the worlds they are building.
Throughout the week, we have planned a variety of exciting activities, including:
- book readings,
- character dress up days,
- a special book themed lunch order day, and
- creative workshops, all designed to inspire a love of reading and storytelling in our students.
Stay tuned for more details on specific events and how your child can participate. Let's make Book Week 2024 a magical experience for everyone!
Adriana Pilla
Assistant Principal
Learning, Engagement and Teaching
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Friday 5 July 2024 is the last day of Term 2.
Students will be dismissed at 1.30pm, after the whole school assembly.
Please contact Jo Fahey - 0417 840 700 - as soon as possible if you require OSHC services on this day.
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Team achievement
The inaugural Catholic Schools Basketball Carnival was held on Friday 14 June 2024 at the State Basketball Centre, Wayville.
With 14 students representing our school across two teams, the event was a showcase of sportsmanship and skill.
Our boys' team displayed great talent and teamwork, securing 8th place overall. The girls' team also put up a very strong performance, finishing in 4th place overall.
A heartfelt "Thank you!" goes out to Shane D and Sarah W for their coaching of our teams. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to Anne A and Georgina A for their assistance with scoring duties throughout the day.
Individual achievement
Congratulations are extended to Maya D who competed in the recent SAPSASA Netball Carnival, representing Port Districts.
Maya's Year 5/6 team were runners up in Division 2 - an outstanding result!
Matthew Annetta
PE teacher / Sports Coordinator
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In RJC, we are developing our reading, writing, and spelling skills during literacy rotations! We have lots of fun engaging in different hands-on activities to help us practice.
As part of the literacy rotations, students engage in guided reading with the teacher where we build our decoding, fluency, and comprehension skills through a shared storybook.
We have been practising sentence writing on the whiteboards, spelling words using the write and wipe sleeves, and developing our letter sound knowledge using hands on letters.
By engaging in different multisensory activities, our students are given more opportunities to connect with what they are learning and to further solidify their literacy skills.
James Cummings
Reception teacher
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Undoubtedly for many, the highlight of the term would have to be the Year 5/6 camp.
The three days were filled with fun, food, and adventure. We were so impressed with how the students accepted the challenges, and showed real bravery and a positive mindset. For me what was most pleasing was their support for one another; there were numerous times that their genuine encouragement of each other assisted in students pushing themselves to try things they would not have otherwise done.
Here are some thoughts regarding the camp from students ...
- "The extraordinary giant swing pushed me out of my comfort zone. Can you imagine being harnessed and then pulled up 12 and a half metres high? Then before you know it, you are flying through the air. I was so scared that I was gripping on to my harness for dear life, fearing that I would crash to the ground."
Sophie - "Did you know milk crates aren’t just for milk? They can also be used for climbing with a harness. Time is ticking away, the pressure is on to build the tallest tower and climb up on it. “Oh no, it’s going to fall. Arghhhhhhhhh!” I yelled. “Disaster” yelled the instructor. Everyone laughed, yelled, and ran away."
Zahlia - "Mr Abela's cooking was at Master Chef standard; the cheesy lasagna, the soft wraps, and the juicy watermelon made our mouths water. We definitely weren't hungry at camp and the food gave us energy to power through the activities with ease."
George - "Camp was so extraordinary. It was such an exciting feeling to do the activities that made our adrenaline rush, like the leap of faith, the giant swing and the high ropes. The leap of faith is climbing up a 10 metre pole and balancing at the top, which is the size of a dinner plate. You then needed to take a leap of faith towards the trapeze and if you miss, you fall; luckily you are in a harness. You can also do it in a blind fold."
Lachlan
Leigh Turbill
Year 5/6 teacher
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In Music this term, we were very busy preparing for a number of musical events.
On Wednesday 19 June 2024, a selection of school band members had the opportunity to rock out and perform at the Battle of the Rock Bands, held at Nazareth Catholic Community (primary campus). Students performed on stage without the assistance of a teacher, and our band certainly held their own, playing a rendition of "7 Nation Army" by The White Stripes! Congratulations to everyone involved!
The Festival choir travelled to St Thomas School, Goodwood, on Friday 21 June 2024 for their Hub Assessment. This is an important milestone in the preparation of the choir for the Catholic Schools Music Festival, as they were required to sing every song in the book, with some from memory and with choreography.
Our choir was well praised in front of the other choirs when it was revealed that we were the only school to memorise one of the trickiest songs in the book! Well done to the choir on their journey towards the festival at the end of Term 3.
Students also prepared for our first ever “Ensembles Concert”, which was held on Thursday 27 June 2024. Students were busy preparing songs to play for this concert as a chance to show off their skills in learning music as a part of a team. The groups that performed included:
- both Year 2 class ocarina ensembles;
- both Year 3/4 class recorder ensembles;
- the ukulele club;
- the “Come and Try” band;
- the school band, and
- the Festival choir!
We look forward to another very successful term of music making at OLQP!
Andrew Heuzenroeder
Music teacher
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Come and join the fun!
- Occasional Care is on Tuesdays 9am-12noon for children 3-5 years.
- Playgroup is on Wednesdays 9am-10.30am for children 0-5 years.
For more information, please access the flyers regarding Playgroup and Occasional Care from the Useful Links section at the beginning of this newsletter.
More questions?
Contact - Andi Benzija
- Phone: 8279 8800
- Email: Andi.Benzija@olqp.catholic.edu.au
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New opening times:
Fridays
- 8.40am – 9am
- 2.45pm – 3.10pm
The second hand uniform shop service, facilitated by a dedicated group of parents, supports the community to access quality and affordable second-hand uniforms for their children.
Families are welcome to donate any current school uniform items to the shop. Any donations are gratefully appreciated however only uniforms in good condition are sought for donation.
Proceeds raised from the sale of these donations go towards student-centred projects and activities at our school.
Location:
Located in the P & F Room (near the girls' toilets, adjacent the basketball courts).
Call 8279 8800 if you require more information, or alternatively, you can email the P & F Committee using this email: PNF@olqp.catholic.edu.au.
P & F Committee
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New families and permanent bookings:
All new family bookings and permanent bookings need to be made through the OSHC office.
Please contact Jo on 0417 840 700, or pop into either the OSHC office or front office for an information pack.
Jo Fahey
OSHC Director
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At Clean Burn Candles, we are passionately dedicated to supporting Childhood Cancer Charities. We have walked this challenging path ourselves and emerged on the other side. Every day, we count our lucky stars as we are among the fortunate ones.
Over the past few months, we have been meticulously planning a special event, and we are thrilled to share the details with you. We now have tickets and a venue ready for you!
In person fundraiser at The Big Shed
Saturday 13 July 2024
Ticket prices include a meal, drink, donut dessert by Wildflour Creations, and donation (see poster for more details).
- Adults - $40
- Kids - $20
Click HERE or on the flyer image to access more details.
Raffle tickets available for purchase:
- 3 tickets for $5
- 7 tickets for $10
- 5 tickets for $5 - Kids' raffle
Auction and raffle prizes appear in the gallery that follows this article.
You can also make a donation to help us reach our target:
Cick HERE to make a donation in support of the Childhood Cancer Association.
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PlayStart Soccer is a fun-based soccer program consisting of social and skill development amongst kids starting their journey in sport and fitness. For children aged 2-10, PlayStart Soccer is held across various locations in Adelaide.
Our Term 3 program commences the weekend of Week 1 in Term 3 (27 & 28 July 2024).
We are a long term and trusted provider of soccer programs around Adelaide now, and being part of the SA Government Sports Voucher program also assists families getting their children active.
Please click HERE or on the flyer image to access more information.
Regards
Andrew
PlayStart Soccer
Phone: 0401 410 465
Web: www.playstart.com.au
Do you have a 5-10 year old who is keen to play netball?
Make friends, have fun, play netball!
- Date: 23 July - 10 September 2024
- Time: 5.30pm - 6.30pm Tuesdays
- Location: Netball SA - Court 8
- Cost: $150
Includes a redeamable NetSetGo pack of a tshirt and a netball.
Sports voucher rebate available.
Register at the following link BEFORE 15 July 2024.
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