19 May 2017

Newsletter Articles

School News

PRIMARY NEWS

Wrong Answers, Great Learning

Thomas Edison said that he did not fail at making the light bulb one thousand times, but rather that "the light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps."

"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot... and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. That is why I succeed." (Michael Jordan)

Making mistakes is a natural part of all learning. Those who we consider to be "great" are clear that mistakes lead to learning.

The latest research on mathematics shows that mistakes are a very important part of learning math! When a person makes an error in math and they have the opportunity to learn from it, they actually develop a much stronger understanding. In fact, the research states that students learn more from making mistakes than from getting all the right answers. When your child makes an error, it offers insight into what understanding your child has about a mathematical idea. It allows parents and teachers to talk to the child about what they know, and ask questions to stretch their thinking around where they are currently developing their understanding. Parents can ask "How do you know that? What was your thinking here? Is there another way you could solve that? How did you think about X (an element they may be missing or have misunderstood)?" This conversation helps to develop the crucial skills of reasoning and communication and is therefore more helpful than simply showing a child how the math is done. When you support an attitude that values learning from mistakes, you are telling your child that mistakes are a valuable and natural ingredient in learning and lead to deeper understanding. Research shows that this attitude supports stronger achievement!

This week on the Primary Campus we have welcomed Healthy Harold and the Life Education van. The inclusion of this resource into our health and personal development program is about empowering students to make healthier and safer choices for themselves when considering actions now and in the future. Each year the students look forward to visiting Harold in the van and exploring the activities presented by Jane, the Life Education teacher. As parents, you may like to explore the messages further with your child by talking with them about their class session or by accessing the resources using the link.

The safety of our students is key concern of the staff on the Primary Campus and with ‘Walk Safely to School Day’ on Friday 19th May, it gives us the opportunity to highlight some important messages with the students. Many of them did not realise that it is necessary for them to hold the hand of an adult when crossing the road until they reach the age of ten. In recent weeks it has also been apparent that some students have been taking unnecessary risks by leaving school through the gate to the Anglican Church and then running across the road. Such behaviour could of course lead to serious injury and we would ask that parents also reiterate with their children the need to think and be safe.

NAPLAN

Last week students in Years 3 and 5 (as well as those in Years 7 and 9) participated in the national literacy and numeracy tests (NAPLAN). Much has been written and said about these tests in the past and views are divided about the format and the need to test students in such a way. However, our students acquitted themselves very well and took the tests in their stride.

Having been involved in these tests since their inception in 2008, I can say that the results very often provide confirmation our own data on the students’ learning. NAPLAN data acts as one measure that teachers use to inform teaching for learning, but as the results are not available immediately, it is often our own school data which is most useful to us. From the point of view of parents, the NAPLAN results are an indication to you of where your child is at that moment in time compared to similar age students in the state of Queensland and the country but it is important to view this data alongside that provided by the school eg school reports, ongoing assessment results etc. If you have any questions regarding NAPLAN, the following link may be useful:

Here are some examples of questions from the tests this year:

APRE NEWS

Teen Vinnies

A new Teen Vinnies Committee has been established for 2017 and all members are keen to rally to the cause. Efforts for this term will focus on promoting our St Vincent de Paul winter appeal, “Can it for a Cause”, as well as a morning tea to raise funds for SVDP. The Teen Vinnies committee and members are eager to volunteer for the Red Shield Doorknock Appeal to be held on Sunday 28th May. Our committee are also keen to host our first movie night for 2017, with take away and a film to be held on Friday, 16th June. Keep an eye out for parent paperwork for further details about this social event.

Retreats

An important focus of the faith life of our school are the annual retreats for students in Years 3 – 12. These programs offer the opportunity for all students to stop and stretch their spirit, to nourish their soul and reflect on their personal and faith journey. Years 3-6 participate in half day retreats which focus on topics such as “Growth, Gifts, Uniqueness, and Individuality”. These retreats allow students the opportunity to reflect on their own and others’ lives, as they acknowledge the beauty of each other and themselves. (To be held 4th and 5th September)

Year 7-11 participate in retreat opportunities with a team from the Real Talk organisation. These retreats offer students the opportunity to talk and interact with their peers and presenters on topics such as relationships, personal identity, self-worth and the digital world. Based on Catholic Christian values, these sessions help our students to understand God’s amazing plan for love and life. (To be held 13th & 14th July)

In their final week of schooling Year 12 students enjoy an overnight stay at Leslie Dam where they participate in a variety of activities over two days. One of these days is dedicated to working with the Real Talk team. Throughout the day students participate in number of group and solo activities which focus on the dignity and value of every individual and the importance of realising their full potential and building meaningful relationships. (To be held 13th & 14th November)

The opportunity for our students to participate in annual retreat experiences is essential to each individual’s faith formation, no matter where they may be on their journey. Promoting and enhancing an awareness of the spiritual dimension of their life enables our students to bear witness to their school and wider community.

Twilight In-service

On the evening of April 24 a number of primary and secondary teachers took part in an in-service on Religion Planning and Assessment. Staff explored resources and unit planning, with particular focus on the assessment – what it is and why we do it. Teachers also explored the thoughts and work of Dylan Willams, a professor and expert on assessment, as well as the importance of meaningful feedback. As an academic subject, this professional development enabled staff to reflect upon an implement new and rigorous assessment into their unit planning.

Mrs Megan Mahoney
APRE

YEAR 11 AND 12 LEGAL STUDIES

On Tuesday May 9th, the year 11 and 12 Legal Studies class walked to the Stanthorpe Magistrates Court and had an opportunity to go through the courthouse and sit in on a court proceeding. This visit was extremely valuable for these students as they were able to experience what a real courtroom looks and sounds like and how court proceedings take place. While we were at the courts, students were able to see the jury for the case being empaneled, which was quite an interesting procedure to see. This experience was great for students as it will provide them with an opportunity to compare the Magistrates court to the Brisbane District and Supreme court which we will be visiting in August.

Chemistry Excursion

On Tuesday 9th of May, Mr Brown and Mr Barker brought the Senior Chemistry class to Stanthorpe Water Treatment Plant. Commencing our Extended Experimental Investigation on water purification, a deeper understanding of the process and science of the sanitization of Stanthorpe’s water source was truly beneficial in introducing our assignment. Rod Wiley met our class and provided us with a tour of the plant as well as insight into the system of the treatment. He explored the procedure and chemistry in filtering the sediment and other impurities within the water, including the coagulation, filtration and disinfecting of the water.

After the water had been received from Storm King Dam via gravitation force, the coagulation process is conducted. After transferring the water into a tank, a flocculant is added to allow the impurities of the water of the initial sediment to congeal and thus sink to the bottom of a tank. This leaves the purer water on top to be gradually drained and transferred to the filtration system. This second process removes that gravel and sand within the water. Finally, Chloride is added to purify the water of remaining contaminants. This information will be really advantageous to conducting our Experimental Investigation and will allow us to apply what we have learnt into structuring an experiment. The excursion was able to give us a real-life application to the chemistry of cleaning water to allow for drinking.

By Katie Yates

Reminders and Updates

ARTICLE VOLUNTEER DECLARATION

Parent Paperwork was sent last term regarding families who volunteer at St Joseph's School. This is a reminder for those who have not completed the induction, to do so before 19 May 2017. You will not be able to volunteer at the school until this induction has been completed. A copy of the communication has been included below.

Not unlike other organisations, St Joseph’s School must comply with legislation, in particular in the area of Student Protection. All School personnel, including volunteers, must have an understanding of both appropriate conduct, and how to identify and respond to instances of harm to a student.

You will need to view the Volunteer and Visiting Service Provider Induction Module (Video) which is the second last green bar. Once you have viewed this video, you must read the first and second green bars (Volunteers/ Code of Conduct/Jan 2017 and Volunteers/ Student Protection Information Jan 2017. Please then complete and sign the Volunteers/ Declaration Form/Jan 2017 and return to the school office or scan and email the form to stanthorpe@twb.catholic.edu.au

For your information, the Student Protection Contacts at our school are:

Primary Campus
Mrs Sarah Yates

Secondary Campus
Mrs Sandra Ellis

Other Contacts

Mrs Cathy Mills (Counsellor)
Mr Phillip McGreevy (Principal)

I kindly ask that you complete this as a matter of priority. Please note that parents/carers cannot volunteer in any capacity without completing the declaration.

Sport News

Article MINI ROO”S PROGRAM

Junior Football for 3-6 year old boys and girls.

Mr Magic's ALDI Miniroos Program commences this Wednesday. Even if your child is registered to play football with a local club - you can still sign up for this program as an extra training session which will only improve their skills even further.

"I do not fear the player who has practiced 1000 skills once, but I do fear the players who has practiced one skill a 1000 times".

MiniRoos is a great program designed for children 3-6yrs. Sessions will be conducted by Mr Richard Mitchell (Mr Magic) from 3.30pm at the Stanthorpe State School grounds starting Wednesday 17th May. The fields at the Harris street entrance to the primary school will be used to enable us to access the indoor facility in the case of bad weather conditions. The Stanthorpe YMCA thanks SSPS for their support of this community project.

MiniRoos is sponsored by ALDI and each child will receive a ball, back pack and drink bottle. Simply go to www.miniroos.com.au to register your child.

Register NOW

The program will run over 10 weeks at a cost of $95- per child