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First Holy Communion
Congratulations to the students in Year 4 who received the Sacrament of First Holy Communion over the last two weekends.
Please continue to pray for them.
Dear Lord,
We thank You and praise You for the most precious gift of the Holy Eucharist. We ask You to bless all those who are preparing to receive Your Body and Blood for the first time. You have provided for us richly through the gift of Your Body and Blood in the Eucharist.
Amen
Today, after a reschedule due to the weather, our Foundation students visited Chesterfield Farm.
Inquiry: Past and Present
This term, we embarked on an exciting Inquiry into the Past and Present. Students engaged in meaningful discussions about how people communicated in the past compared to now, investigating the evolution of transportation methods and reflecting on our favourite childhood toys and how they differ from those in the past. We interviewed a family member to learn about their experiences and how life was different when they were younger.
We also were privileged to have the Pakenham Library visit and discuss how the Library supports our community and how it has changed over time.
Maths: Multiplication
Over the past 4 weeks, we have been learning about different strategies we can use to multiply. This has included making equal groups, using repeated addition on number lines, skip counting and creating arrays. In Year Two we have been focusing on explaining our thinking using symbols, language and visual representations.
Writing: Letter Writing
In Writing, we have been focusing on practising writing skills in a fun and meaningful way. The children have been learning how to express their thoughts, share their ideas, and improve their handwriting and spelling, all through the personal and creative process of writing postcards and letters. Once their letters were completed, the children addressed their postcards and letters to their classmates. It’s been a joy to see them eagerly awaiting replies and reading the messages from their friends.
Religion: We’re invited to journey together.
In Religion, we celebrated a meaningful unit where students learned about the story of Jesus feeding the 5000. This inspiring scripture allowed our students to reflect on the importance of sharing and community. It was a joy to see them come together, discussing how they can support one another in their own journeys. We also had the privilege of Fr Janeesh visiting the year 2’s and discussing how St Patrick's Church helps our community and invites all to journey with God.
Highlights from Year One
This term has been filled with lots of creative learning experiences! Here are some highlights:
- Writing:Students created information reports on animals, crafting their own books, which they then shared with Year 2. It was a great opportunity for them to develop their writing skills and engage with their peers.
- Poetry Exploration: Students engaged in writing colour sense poems, practising rhyming and alliteration. Their creativity has truly shone through!
- Author Study:We delved into the works of author Allison Lester, enjoying stories like Noni the Pony, Tricky's Bad Day, and Magic Beach. These stories sparked wonderful discussions and imaginative writing and artistic skills.
- Math Skills: Our students have been learning about multiplication and division, enhancing their problem-solving skills.
- In Maths, students collected data and produced graphs, further developing their understanding of data representation and analysis.
- We have explored positional language by making paper treasure maps and building 3D mazes. The students have given and followed directions and also used iPads to practice these skills through interactive apps and Seesaw activities.
- Students developed their understanding of time! We focused on learning to tell the time on both digital and analogue clocks. Practicing identifying "o'clock" and "half past" times through fun, interactive activities.
- Inquiry-History:Our inquiry focus on the past and present led students to create family trees, fostering connections to their own histories and backgrounds.
- Religion Inquiry:Students journeyed together as they discussed things they are invited to be a part of. During this unit the students discussed being invited to different celebrations and the connection to the church. We were very lucky to have a visit from Fr Janeesh who helped the students to learn more about the sacrament of Baptism. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to discuss their own experiences of being welcomed and welcoming others.
- Police Visit: We had a valuable visit from Victoria Police. They shared important safety tips with our students, focusing on how to stay safe in our community. We encourage you to continue these conversations at home.
- Pet Safety: Year 1 also participated in a Pet Safety session, learning how to interact positively and safely with pets.
- ABCSL: Students took part in ‘Australia’s Biggest Child Safety Lesson’, learning important safety messages specifically for F-2 students. This was hosted online by the Daniel Morcombe Foundation.
- Book Week: we celebrated Book Week with a series of exciting activities based on the CBCA (Children’s Book Council of Australia) shortlisted books. Students participated in a rotation of fun and engaging activities that focused on reading, creativity, and collaboration.
The enthusiasm and progress displayed by the Year One students during Term 3 has been very impressive!
How do you manage the screen time in your house?
With the school holidays only a couple of days away. Parents/carers deciding what to do with the kids! It is very easy to say go and play on your device.
These six tips to help reduce their children's screen time when not in school:
1. Be accountable: Set expectations with your kids, and create goals to be intentional about reducing screen time. Many devices have features to set time limits for use.
2. Be realistic: If your kids spend a lot of leisure time on screens, including watching TV, start by setting smaller, more attainable goals. Instead of jumping right to the recommended one to two hours or less per day, start by cutting their current screen time in half.
3. Be engaged: After school or work, spend time each day talking face to face with kids and give them your full attention.
4. Put hand-held devices away: During screen-free hours, put devices away or at a charging station in a common area so they're not attracting your kids' attention.
5. Create phone-free zones in the home: Making family meal areas a phone-free zone is an easy way to start.
6. Go outside: Putting down the phone and taking a walk or playing outdoors increases your endorphins and provides that feeling of happiness in your brain, boosting your mood and improving your physical health.
For information please visit:
Be You/ Beyond Blue https://beyou.edu.au/ 1300 22 46 36
Australian Institute of famil studies https://aifs.gov.au/resources/short-articles/too-much-time-screens
In this edition of SchoolTV - Managing Screen Time
As a result of the global pandemic, there has been a noticeable shift in the amount of time people spend on screen-based devices. Families are transitioning back to pre-COVID routines but many are still struggling to re-establish the boundaries and rules around screen use. Some continue to deal with digital conflict and tech-tantrums on a daily basis. The latest research found that 77% of teenagers spend more than five hours on screens per day, but it is important to note that not all screen time is considered equal.
Parents play a crucial role in modelling a positive and healthy approach to using screens and assisting children to navigate the content they watch. It is better to model and mentor screen use, rather than monitor it. Children tend to do more of what they see us do, and less of what we tell them to do. However, it is still important to outline the risks and highlight the benefits of screen use to ensure you keep a balanced attitude. Encourage discussions around the issues that people experience in monitoring their screen time and be honest about your own difficulties.
Parents need to remain firm in their approach to managing screen time. Excessive screen time can be detrimental to a child’s overall wellbeing. Ensuring the correct privacy settings are in place is vital to prevent children from being inadvertently exposed to inappropriate content or online predators. Parents need to also be mindful of the potential impact screen time can have on a child’s social, emotional, educational, behavioural, and even physical domains.
In this edition of SchoolTV, care-givers will be provided with a range of guidelines and strategies to help manage screen time at home.
We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please seek medical or professional help.
Here is the link to the Managing Screen Time edition of SchoolTV
https://stclaresofficer.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/managing-screen-time
Liz Hunt
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader
SCHOOL FEES
LOST PROPERTY
We have a significant amount of lost property, which includes drink bottles, at the office. If you child has lost any items please check at the office.
REPORTING AN ABSENCE
To report your child's absence please do so via PAM, email absent@stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au or call 5940 6777
Here is the link for the St Clare's Parent Access Module (PAM)
St Clare's PAM
You username is the email address that you have registered with the school. The first time you log in we ask that you use the forgotten password feature to set your own password.
ALL parents must access PAM to receive up to date information and grant necessary permissions. Students will miss out on events if permission is not granted.
How to Help Kids Stay Safe Online
Adapted from: https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/blog Office of the eSafety Commissioner
- Start the chat
It’s not possible to be at your child’s side every second of the day, so it’s important to talk with them about online safety issues to help develop their critical thinking and ability to make good choices. It’s also good to let them know they can come to you for help if they have any concerns. You may feel they know more about the latest technology than you do, but you have more life experience to guide them.
- With primary school aged children use online devices in the open living spaces at home to make parent supervision part of the expectation for your child.
- Take the opportunity to set some boundaries around when and where they can use devices like tablets, smart TVs and gaming consoles, to help limit potential tech tantrums — you could even fill in an Early Years Family Tech Agreement
- Screen free time before bed is important for good sleep. Consider charging devices in a central location at a regular time each night to allow an hour screen free before bed.
- While you are all at home more, it’s a great time to co-view and co-play with your kids, so you can understand what they are doing and experiencing online.
- Learn about the games, apps, social media and platforms they are using at The eSafety Guide, including how to protect their information and report inappropriate content or conduct.
- Use parental controls and safe search options
Parental controls can help block your child from accessing specific websites, apps or functions. They can also monitor your child’s use of connected devices and set time limits. But beware! You cannot always rely on them — they should be used in combination with other online safety strategies.
- Parental controls are available on most tablets, smartphones, computers, TVs and gaming consoles.
- You can also download family safety controls or buy robust filters out of the box.
- You can set up child-friendly search engines, or select safe search settings on digital devices, to help prevent your child from stumbling across inappropriate sites and content.
- Check smart toy settings
It’s surprising how many toys or devices can connect online these days, from drones and smart teddies to tablets and wearables. While they can be both entertaining and educational, they can reveal your child’s personal details and location — and allow other people to contact them without you knowing. You can help keep them stay safe by:
- setting strong passwords
- turning off location settings
- limiting the amount of personal information shared.
The eSafety Gift Guide has advice on what to check for and how to stay safe.
- Look out for unwanted contact and grooming
Unwanted contact is any communication that makes your child feel uncomfortable or unsafe, even if they initially welcomed the contact. It can come from a stranger, an online ‘friend’ or even someone they actually know. At worst, it can involve ‘grooming’ — building a relationship with the child in order to sexually abuse them.
You can help by:
- making sure their accounts are private — including chat functions on games
- encouraging them to delete requests from strangers and any contacts they don’t know in person
- checking in with your child as they use online devices in the open living spaces at home
- reporting and blocking anyone suspicious on a website or service
- remembering that if suspicious online contacts become aggressive or threatening you should contact your local police.
- Know the signs of cyberbullying
Kids who are bored by long periods at home can pick at each other, and that happens online too. So it’s important to keep an eye out for cyberbullying. It can include mean posts, comments and messages, as well as being left out of online group activities like gaming.
- Remember, when they are away from school, kids have less access to their usual support systems, including friends, teachers and counsellors.
- eSafety research shows that girls are more likely to be affected than boys and the person doing the bullying is generally someone they know from school.
- Watch out for signs such as your child appearing upset after using their mobile, tablet or computer, being unusually secretive about their online activities or becoming withdrawn.
- Cyberbullying can make social isolation worse and the longer it continues, the more stressed kids can become, impacting on their emotional and physical wellbeing.
What to do if your child is being cyberbullied
As parents, our first instinct may be to ban our children from social media, disable the wi-fi or turn off the data access. But this can actually compound the problem, making your child feel as if they’re being punished and heightening their sense of social exclusion.
There are four simple steps that can help minimise the harm:
- report the cyberbullying to the social media service where it is occurring
- collect evidence of the cyberbullying material
- if the material is still public 48 hours later, make a report to eSafety — we work with social media platforms to have the harmful content removed.
block the offending user.