Term 4 Week 1 Newsletter- October 7

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the traditional owners, the Gunditjmara people, on whose land we learn, work and play. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their elders- past, present and emerging believing that we can walk together for a better future.

Principal's Message

It was great to see and hear so many happy children and staff back at school today. I hope that all families had a wonderful holiday break and got to spend it doing something that you enjoy with the people who mean the most to you. 

I would like to thank Miss O'Keefe and the leadership team for holding the fort at the end of last term while I was away. It is very reassuring knowing that the school is in such capable hands when I am not here.

It is exciting to be able to finally share our concert with you on Wednesday. Many hours of rehearsal and work have gone into 'All Saints on Broadway' and I would like to thank our teachers, LSOs and students for their preparation for the wonderful show that we will see this week. 

We wish Savarnna Loft, Lexie Elford, Banjo Mewburn and Tyler Leishman all the best as the head off to Regional Athletics in Ballarat on Friday. What a great achievement to make it to this level of competition. Have a great day.

We look forward to celebrating 175 years of Catholic Education in Portland on October 18 and 19. We have many activities organised and hope that families and friends of All Saints can join us at some stage for these activities.

We have a very busy term 4 ahead of us and I am looking forward to seeing all of the achievements and growth that is to come for all of our students. Term 4 is a great term for opportunity and challenges for our school community and together we can achieve great things.

A reminder to all that school hats are compulsory for term 4, regardless of the weather. If you need a new hat they can be purchased through CDFPay or via the office.

A little teaser: something new is coming in November - more details will be shared in coming newsletters. 

RESPECT YOURSELF, RESPECT OTHERS & RESPECT YOUR ENVIRONMENT!

Regards

Jamie  

Catholic School Culture

School Information

Assembly Timetable

Assemblies commence at 2:30pm every second Friday afternoon.

Assemblies for Term 4

Week 2 - October 18 - Included as part of 175th Anniversary mass celebrations - 12:00pm (please note different time)

Week 4 - November 1 - 3/4MN

Week 6 - November 15 - FCL

Week 8 - November 29 - 5/6AD

Week 10 - December 13 - 3/4MS

Final Assembly - Wednesday December 18 - Jamie & 5/6 team

School Hats for Term 4

School hats are compulsory for all students for term 4 when outside. This includes recesses, lunchtimes, PE lessons and any outdoor class activities. It is extremely important that we be sun smart and protect ourselves as much as we can, even on the days when we think it is not very sunny. 

School hats are available from the office or can be ordered through CDF Pay and will be delivered to your child at school. 

Hats are $11 each.

Important Dates

TERM 4

Week 1

Monday October 7 - First Day of Term 4 for staff and students

Monday October 7 - Foundation Swimming begins @ 11:45am

Tuesday October 8 - Concert rehearsals

Wednesday October 9 - Concert Matinee 12:00pm-2:00pm

Wednesday October 9 - Concert 6:00pm-8:00pm

Friday October 11 - Regional Athletics in Ballarat

Week 2

Tuesday October 15 - F-Yr 2 excursion for performance at the PAC- 'You are a Donut.'

Wednesday October 16 - Regional Volleyball

Friday October 18 - All Saints 175 Years of Catholic Education in Portland Celebrations

Saturday October 19 - 175 Years of Catholic Education in Portland Gala Dinner

Week 3

Monday October 21 - Year 3/4 Regional Hoop Time Basketball - Hamilton

Monday October 21 - Bayview Information Night for Yr 7 2025 6:00pm

Tuesday October 22 - Art Show Opening Night 6:00pm-7:00pm

Thursday October 24 - District Cricket Portland Yr 5/6

Thursday October 24 - Year 5/6 Surfing Session 1

Thursday October 24 - Year 1 Dinner 3:30pm-6:00pm

Thursday October 24 - Friday October 25 - Year 3 camp in Warrnambool

Friday October 25 - WORLD TEACHER'S DAY

Friday October 25 - Yr 6 English Games Day @ Heywood & District Secondary College

Week 4

Monday October 28 - Grandparents Day

Tuesday October 29 - Year 1/2 Excursion- Budj Bim

Thursday October 31 - 5/6 Regional Girls Basketball- Hamilton

Thursday October 31 - Friday November 1 - Diocesan Leadership Gathering in Horsham (Jamie away)

Friday November 1 - School Disco 6:00pm-8:00pm

Saturday November 2 - Upwelling Festival

Sunday November 3 -  3 Bays Marathon Event

Learning & Teaching

Students of the Week

NO STUDENTS OF THE WEEK THIS WEEK.

‘Never see a need without doing something about it!’

Congratulations to these students for the wonderful work and effort that others have seen from you. Keep inspiring and encouraging those around you.

Link to our school communication app

Please click the link below if you have not yet joined DoJo, our school and classroom communication tool.

Important school and classroom information is shared via this tool so we ask families to have ensure they have access to this app and notifications switched on.

2024 School Concert

SCHOOL CONCERT IS ON THIS WEEK!

We are so excited that our school concert has finally arrived and we cannot wait to put on a great show for you. Many hours have gone into preparing our acts for 'ALL SAINTS ON BROADWAY!'

Tuesday October 8- Dress rehearsals at the hall
Wednesday October 9- Matinee @ 12:00pm and Evening Concert @ 6:00pm

A notice will come home on Monday with information for students and families.

If anyone has any questions or concerns, please contact the school office on 55233654.

Leadership & Stewardship

All Saints Parish School Leadership Team

Jamie Walsh: Principal

Kerri-Ann O'Keefe: Deputy Principal & Religious Education Leader

Christine McMahon: Learning Diversity & Wellbeing Leader

Danielle Walsh: Learning and Teaching Leader- Junior

Bonita Silva: Learning and Teaching Leader- Senior

All Saints Parish School Leadership Team

Community Engagement

Article from 'The Parenting Toolbox'- the newsletter for intelligent, stress-free parenting

School Advisory Council Vacancies

We have some vacancies on our SAC. If you are a parent who is interested or would like more information please contact me at school via email at principal@asportland.catholic.edu.au

175 Years of Catholic Education in Portland

This year we celebrate the honour of being the oldest continuing school in the Ballarat Diocese and also 175 years of Catholic Education in Portland. This is a very special milestone for our school and we would love you to celebrate with us.

Please see below an invitation to join us on Friday October 18 for an open morning and school tours, assembly mass and lunch followed by an afternoon of old fashioned games. Students are invited to dress in old fashioned clothes on this day. Please use the QR code to register for some of the events. There is no cost for any of the Friday events but we would like you to register your attendance for catering and organisational purposes.

On Saturday we will offer some school tours in the morning for anyone who cannot make it on Thursday and then we have our Gala Dinner on Saturday evening (limited tickets available for this event).

Families and friends are then invited to the parish mass on Sunday at 10:00am at All Saints Church.

We would love it if you could come and celebrate this momentous occasion with us. 

Child Safety & Wellbeing

Webinars for parents and carers

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars 

Join one of our free webinars for parents and carers.

These live webinars give parents and carers the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe online experiences.

On this page:

• Supporting healthy tech use as your child transitions into high school
• eSafety 101: how eSafety can help you
• Download and share the Term 4 webinar schedule
• In case you missed it
  

Download the schedule

eSafety-Term-4-2024-Parent-carer-Webinar-Flyer (PDF, 93.84KB)

2024 parent and carer webinar schedule (PDF, 155.03KB)DownloadExternal link
Download

Download

SchoolTV - Wellbeing Platform

All Saints Parish School’s ‘School TV’ can be accessed using the following link: https://asportland.catholic.schooltv.me 

After the school holidays where our normal routines are a little more relaxed it is important to get back into good habits. Here are some SchoolTV reports that may help.

In this edition of SchoolTV - Sleep

Students today have extremely busy schedules, with ever increasing responsibilities at school and at home. Many kids, especially adolescents, are going to bed later and later and are at risk of sleep deprivation. This affects three areas of a child’s development: psychological, physiological and psychosocial. All three are essential to a child's growth, learning ability and overall wellbeing. Sleep is vital to a child’s overall development and is as important as diet and exercise.

Sleep also strengthens a child’s immune systems and supports their ability to function properly on a daily basis. Children who do not get enough sleep show increased levels of aggressive behaviour, are less attentive and are much less active. Trying to catch up on sleep on weekends is not the answer and can still lead to severe sleep deprivation.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will learn about the importance of sleep and how sleep deprivation can have adverse effects on a child’s health and wellbeing.

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 contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Sleep edition of SchoolTV
https://asportland.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/sleep

In this edition of SchoolTV - Physical Activity & Exercise

In the last decade, children’s participation in physical activity and exercise has been in decline. In this digital age, children are using computers and mobile devices, not only for learning, but for relaxation and recreation purposes. This sedentary lifestyle is having a detrimental effect on today’s youth. The key is finding the balance.

Research shows, that regular physical activity and exercise leads to changes in the brain. It improves cognitive function, elevates mood, enhances learning and improves academic outcomes. Playing sport helps kids develop fundamental movement skills impacting positively on their confidence, self-esteem and ability to develop social skills. Parents play an important role in helping children establish positive habits that will benefit their children in the long-term.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will discover practical advice relating to the benefits of regular physical activity and exercise, as well as tips on how to get their kids motivated and moving more.

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 contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Physical Activity & Exercise edition of SchoolTV
https://asportland.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/physical-activity-exercise

In this edition of SchoolTV - Diet & Nutrition

We all know that diet and nutrition is vital to your child’s development and growth, but are you aware of the effects it has on your child’s brain development and how it can impact their academic achievement?

In this era of convenience, it is easy to reach for pre-packaged and processed foods to cope with busy schedules. However, these foods are usually packed full of sugar and salt which can have adverse health effects. Making a habit of reading food labels can help reduce the risks. It can also help to stabilise your child’s energy, improve their mood, maintain a healthy weight and improve their general wellbeing.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will discover practical advice for teaching your kids about the benefits of incorporating a healthy diet and good nutrition.

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 contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Diet & Nutrition edition of SchoolTV
https://asportland.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/diet-nutrition

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 contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Managing Screen Time edition of SchoolTV
https://asportland.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/managing-screen-time

Happy Birthday

OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS

STUDENTS: Ella M, Nestor V, Georgiana L, Raphael S, Willow S, Sarah D, Ebony H, Winnie F, Logan R, Phoebe B, Zayden L, Lance C, Bailey S, Liam W, Atley S, Bentley J, Amelia B, Zane O, Easton C

STAFF: Adele, Mr. Debono, Mr. Walsh, Miss Michelle, Fr. Greg, Miss O'Keefe

Praying With Children

Praying with Children resources offer an insight into the scripture readings from mass on the weekend. It is a wonderful opportunity for families to discuss the Gospel stories and complete some related activities if they wish.

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