Term 3: Week 8

Principal Message….

Dear Parents/Carers,

Last week, we had a wonderful Father’s Day event where our school community came together to celebrate the special bond between fathers, grandfathers, significant people and their children. It was heartwarming to see so many families enjoying the sausage sizzle and participating in the fun games with the kids. The joy and laughter truly made it a memorable day for everyone involved. Thank you to all who attended and contributed to making the event a success.

In other news, 18 members of our teaching staff have recently completed an intensive Orton-Gillingham training course. This training is a key part of our commitment to delivering high-quality, research-based literacy instruction. The Orton-Gillingham Approach, which we use daily in our phonics lessons, is a structured, multisensory method that is proven to help students build strong reading and spelling skills. I’m proud of our teachers for their dedication to continuous learning and for ensuring that our students receive the best possible education.

Best of luck next week to the Year 6 students representing our school at the Division Level athletics. We are proud to have so many talented budding athletes make it so far and wish them well in their events. Thank you to our dedicated sports teacher, Sally, for her support, organisation and encouragement of all our students to make it this far.

We keep the St Teresa of Kolkata community in our prayers this week as they celebrate their feast day today. Their first feast day celebration as a new school community. We hope it is a day filled with love and laughter as you come together to celebrate an important milestone for your school.

Looking ahead, we are excited about our upcoming Footy Day at SFA on the last day of Term 3! This event is always a favourite, bringing together students' love of AFL footy finals, their sports team and a hotdog. To help support our Parish fete, the students can

wear their favourite sports team top to school in exchange for a block of chocolate. I look forward to seeing all the footy attire, particularly all the Carlton gear!

Thank you for your ongoing support of our school. Together, we continue to create a positive and thriving environment for our students.

Take care, Michelle

Warm regards,

Michelle

MACSSIS SURVEY

There was an Operoo notification sent out early this week inviting families to participate in the MACSSIS (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools - School Improvement Survey).

This survey provides our school with vital information that supports us with improving and moving our school forward. Your family PIN is included in the Operoo note. If you are having trouble accessing this survey or have any questions about it please contact Tom - tquaife@sfatarneit.catholic.edu.au

This week, our Year 6 students embraced their roles as school leaders by teaching Year 1 students some creative games they developed. This initiative not only allowed our older students to demonstrate leadership and responsibility but also gave them a chance to give back to our school community.

The Year 1 students had a fantastic time learning and playing these new games, highlighting the positive impact of peer-led activities. We're proud of our Year 6 leaders for their commitment to fostering a supportive and fun environment for their younger peers!

Get excited for our Colour Run!
Friday 11th of October

**Orton Gillingham Approach to Literacy Training**

This week, 18 of our staff members, including our principal, completed an intensive four-day Orton-Gillingham training course. At SFA, we use the Orton-Gillingham Approach to teach phonics. This approach to teaching literacy is clear, structured, and uses multiple senses to help students learn. It is a step-by-step way of teaching that we use every day.

In our daily phonics routine, students use OG alphabet cards, learn to read and spell words, and practice reading sentences with the words they have learned. The Orton-Gillingham Approach helps us follow a clear plan so that students can build their reading and spelling skills step by step.

Our commitment to continuous improvement and passion for research-based, evidence-driven approaches ensures that our literacy instruction remains effective and aligned with best practices. We're proud to empower our teaching staff with this advanced training, further enhancing our explicit teaching methods and supporting every student's literacy journey.

Year 5 Space Discovery Incursion

The Year 5 students had a science day in Week 7 as part of their Knowledge Rich unit on space. They rotated around various space-themed activities, including experiments and theory about our solar system and space technology. We had a company called ‘Mad About Science’ who came and discussed the details of the planets in our solar system.

Students explored how the planets rotate and their order from the sun. They also conducted experiments such as creating a rocket to travel a further distance and creating a spacecraft to land safely on the moon. All students loved the day and said it was “out of this world”. 🌎

🎦 Interview with a Staff Member

Chatting with Francis.

It's time to get to know some of our SFA staff. We have asked Francis, one of our Year Six students, to interview a staff member and ask the hard hitting questions. Click the following link to view the interview.

3 Simple Words to End Child Nagging and Negotiating

Have you ever met a more persistent creature than a child trying to get what she wants? I don’t know about you, but I haven’t. There is no one with greater resolve or dedication than a kid on a mission to get their parent’s approval.

Unfortunately, this level of persistence isn’t always well-received by parents who are often forced into these hostage negotiations at inopportune times – in the candy aisle of the grocery store, in the toy aisle of Target, in the middle of trying to cook dinner, while trying to take a shower. It’s as if children can see we are vulnerable and try to pounce in our moments of weakness.

It’s equally important to stop the negotiations before they get out of hand. From the famed “Are we there yet?” to this morning’s “Can I have ice cream for breakfast?” to this afternoon’s “Can I have ice cream for dinner?” kids are notorious for their one-track minds, and they will ask…and ask…and ask…just in case you’ve changed your mind in the last minute.

Why Do Children Nag?

As with any behaviour, you must first understand the root of the issue in order to address it appropriately. As a positive parenting expert, teach tools based on Adlerian Psychology which asserts a child’s behavior is not random. Child nagging is a learned behaviour that children of any age can pick up. Children will continue to use it because once, in a moment of weakness, you caved and let them stay up an extra half hour after they asked for the eighth time. In short, the nagging worked–it achieved the child’s goal of getting an extended bedtime.

How Can I Stop My Child From Nagging?

Like any learned behaviour, child nagging can be unlearned. The solution comes from Lynn Lott, co-author of the Positive Discipline series of books, and it works on kids as young as two or three, all the way through their teens.

It only takes three simple words: “Asked and Answered.” The concept is simple. When seven-year-old Daniel begs to dig a giant hole in the front yard and gets “no” for an answer, chances are he’ll be back in five minutes asking again–this time with a “pleeeeeeaase” just so you know he really, really wants to dig the hole. Instead of repeating yourself or jumping into a lecture, avoid child nagging by getting eye to eye and following the process below:

Step One:

Ask, “Have you ever heard of ‘Asked and Answered’?” (He’ll probably say no.)

Step Two:

Ask, “Did you ask me a question about digging a hole?”(He’ll say yes.)

Step Three:

Ask, “Did I answer it?” (He’ll probably say, “Yes, but, I really ….”)

Step Four:

Ask, “Do I look like the kind of mum/dad/teacher who will change her/his mind if you ask me the same thing over and over?” (Chances are Daniel will walk away, maybe with a frustrated grunt, and engage in something else.)

Step Five:

If Daniel asks again, say, “Asked and Answered.” (No other words are necessary!). Once this technique has been established, these are the only words you need to say to address nagging questions.

Consistency is key!

Once you decide to use “Asked and Answered” with your nagging child, be sure to stick to it. If the questioning continues even after you’ve responded with “Asked and Answered,” simply walk away. Once your child sees you won’t even engage in the discussion, they will learn very quickly that nagging isn’t an effective behaviour to achieve their goals.

🎦 Interview with a Staff Member

Term 3: Week 10

Term 3: Week 6