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Dear Parents and Carers,
‘Sound it out’
If you’re a Facebook user you’ve probably seen something like this, but have a go anyway and read the paragraph below:
I cnduo't bvleiee taht I culod aulaclty uesdtannrd waht I was rdnaieg. Unisg the icndeblire pweor of the hmuan mnid, aocdcrnig to rseecrah at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mttaer in waht oderr the lterets in a wrod are, the olny irpoamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rhgit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whoutit a pboerlm. Tihs is bucseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Aaznmig, huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghhuot slelinpg was ipmorantt! See if yuor flamiy can raed tihs too.
How did you go? I can bet that you had a lot more success than you thought you would and that it was easier as you went along (If you look to the end of the Principal’s Notes you can see the text in correct spelling).
Reading is about meaning!
So often we listen to our children read and when they pause at a difficult word we encourage them to ‘sound it out’. Often this is the first and only strategy we know to suggest. Your successful reading of the text above shows that reading is not about the individual letters on the page and that ‘sounding a word out’ would not be a successful strategy. In fact, much of our English language does not lend itself easily to being ‘sounded out’.
Reading is always first and foremost about understanding the message in the text. Successful readers do understand the visual patterns of letters/sounds but they don’t stay at that point. They soon move beyond that to predict and read ahead based on the message they are reading and use only the minimal visual letter/sound clues that are necessary to confirm they’re on the right track. Hence the need to only have the first and last letter correct in the above example.
Last Monday night the Junior Primary team held a workshop for parents on ‘Reading with your child’. It was designed to assist parents in understanding how to read with children at home in ways that support them as a developing reader. An information pack was given out to attendees of the workshop and sent home to Junior Primary families. If you would like to receive a copy of these strategies and the pack please contact the front office.
God bless.
Rachel Smith
Principal
Ash Wednesday
Today is Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent. You might remember Lent as being a time of giving up things. Instead of giving up – why not take up? Take up spending time in prayer each day, going to Mass, saying only kind things, being more patient, tolerant, considerate…. Pope Francis offers the following thoughts about fasting during Lent;
- Fast from hurting words and say kind words.
- Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
- Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
- Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
- Fast from worries and have trust in God.
- Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.
- Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
- Fast from bitterness and fill your hearts with joy.
- Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.
- Fast from grudges and be reconciled.
- Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.
Parents & Friends Committee
Last Tuesday the Parents & Friends Committee held their Annual General Meeting and first P&F meeting for the year. On behalf of the wider school community I would like to take this opportunity to thank those parents who were part of the 2019 Parents and Friends Committee. We are grateful for the time and dedication you gave to your roles and in turn the school. I would particularly like to mention Lorne Thurgar who has been the P&F President since 2017 and Monica Morabito who has been the P&F Treasurer for the last three years and a long standing member of the P&F Committee. Thank you Lorne and Monica for your time, support and commitment to the P&F and the school. At the Parents and Friends Committee AGM the following positions were vacated and filled:
President Belinda Daunt
Vice President Lorne Thurgar
Secretary Sonia Domitrak
Treasurer TBA
Parent Rep Coordinator Hannah Norgrove
Communication Coordinator Sonia Domitrak
Clothing Pool Coordinator Barbra Cox
School Board Representative Edwina Betts
Tuckshop Coordinator Sofie Cremer
Grounds Maintenance Coordinators Sally Veikkanen, Edwina Betts
Fundraising and Social Coordinators Sally Jensen, Heather Wrathall
Thank you to all of these people who have volunteered their time and energy to be an integral member of this year’s Parents and Friends Committee. We are still looking to fill the position of Treasurer on the P&F and would love someone to volunteer for that position for the 2020 school year. Every Parents and Friends Committee meeting is open to all parents to attend. They are held on the Tuesday of Weeks 3 and 7 each term. Reminders will be through the Newsletter, Schoolzine app and on the School Calendar on the website. Children are most welcome to attend if childcare is a problem.
Interim Reports and Three Way Conferences
Students will bring home their interim reports on Friday, 28th February, with Three Way Conferences taking place on Monday 2nd March and Tuesday 3rd March. Optional Parent/Teacher Interviews will be offered at the end of each term, in addition to the semester reports being sent home at the end of Term 2 and Term 4. A note regarding booking a time for Three Way Conferences was sent home yesterday.
Parent Partnership Forms
Accompanying the interim reports on Friday will be a survey for parents to complete on their child’s strengths, interests and areas for development. We ask that parents complete the parent survey and bring it with them to their child’s Three Way Conference. We believe the parent and school partnership is vital to student success and we hope that through the form we will gain a deeper insight into your child and their needs.
Swimming Carnival
Just a reminder that our school swimming carnival is on tomorrow Thursday 27th February at Queanbeyan Pool. Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their (labeled) sports uniform with their swimmers underneath. They will also need a towel, a plastic bag for wet items, school hat and sunscreen. Students will also need to bring their own lunch (if they have not purchased a special swimming lunch) and recess, etc. in their school bag. Please ensure the children have plenty to eat and drink. There will be no access to the pool kiosk. The students will be transported to the pool at 9.30am with the older students and 200 metre swimmers on the first bus. The swimming events will begin with 200 metre races, followed by the 50 metre races and finishing with 100 metre races. The across the pool races will run after 11am and the novelty events will run throughout the day.
Toys at School
A reminder that students are not to bring toys from home to play with at school. Toys that are bought to school for ‘show and tell’ are to remain in the classroom and not to be taken onto the playground. Likewise if your child needs the security of a particular toy or needs a fiddle toy please ensure you have discussed this with the classroom teacher prior to sending it to school with them. Thank you for your support with this.
Directors’ Day/Catholic Leader’s Retreat
Next Wednesday to Friday I will be away. On Wednesday it is the Directors’ Day where Key Staff from Catholic Education conduct workshops for the Principals. Thursday and Friday is the retreat component.
I couldn’t believe that I could actually understand what I was reading. Using the incredible power of the human mind, according to research at Cambridge University, it doesn’t matter in what order the letters in a word are, the only important thing is that the first and last letter be in the right place. The rest can be a total mess and you can still read it without a problem. This is because the human mind does not read every letter by itself, but the word as a whole. Amazing, huh? Yeah and I always thought spelling was important! See if your family can read this too.
Sacraments
It is the Parish practice that Catholic children in Year 3 prepare for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. However, if your child is in Years 4-6 and you would like them to make the Sacraments of Baptism, First Reconciliation or First Eucharist please contact our St Benedict’s Parish Priest:
Fr Dan Benedetti MGL
Daniel.benedetti@cg.org.au
(02) 6295 7879
School Mass
Next Friday, 6th March 10am, Year 3/4 Gold will be leading our school community in celebrating Mass. Families are warmly invited to join us for this celebration. Morning tea will be provided by the families of students in Years 3/4 Gold. Parents are invited to stay after Mass for morning tea with Staff in the Library.
Season of Lent
Lenten Prayer
Dear God,
Thank You that You provide for all our needs.
Thank You that we can trust You to turn the small things we give You into something big that can make a huge difference.
Help us to be generous with everything we have, just as You are so generous in giving us these things.
Amen.
Did you know?
‘Penance’ means to sacrifice a habit or want and offer it up to God. Regular acts of penance strengthens our willpower and focuses us on the needs of others.
Each class will be participating in our St Benedict’s 40 days of Kindness and Prayer Lenten calendar to help us prepare as a community for the death and resurrection of Jesus. As a school community we will also be raising awareness about the Caritas Project Compassion. Project Compassion donation boxes will be sent home to each family. For more information about this Lenten Program please visit:https://lent.caritas.org.au/#blank
Mini Vinnies
Congratulations to our Mini Vinnies Team who were commissioned last Friday. This is the largest group of Mini Vinnies our school has ever had- with over 43 student volunteers!
Mini Vinnies Hygiene Donation Station
The St Vincent de Paul Night Patrol is in need of mini toiletries (hotel size is perfect) to re-stock their hygiene packs to be distributed to the people who approach the van. We invite all families to make regular donations to the Mini Vinnies Hygiene Donation Station in the Front Office. This is one way our school community can help teach our children about human dignity and how we need to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to look after their body.
Items that can be donated are;
- Shampoo/conditioner
- Moisturisers
- Combs/hair brushes
- Sunscreen
- Tissue packs
- Feminine hygiene products
- Soap/body wash
- Toothbrushes/toothpaste
- Mouth wash
- Lip balm
- Deodorant
Community Meals Program
The Community Meals freezer is one way we can assist families who are experiencing hardship. If you are able to cook a meal, please use disposable containers and label with ingredients and date. All meal donations can be brought to the Front Office. If your family requires temporary meal assistance, you can speak in confidence to any of our staff members.
A few important dates to note for this term are:
27 Feb Swimming Carnival, K-6
28 Feb Interim Reports sent home
1 Mar Year 1/2 Gold School Mass, 10am
2 Mar Three Way Conferences
3 Mar Three Way Conferences
4 Mar First Reconciliation Prayer Night, 6pm
6 Mar Year 3/4 Gold School Mass, 10am
9 Mar Canberra Day Public Holiday
10 Mar School Board Meeting, 6pm
13 Mar Olympic Athlete Visit Yrs 3-6, 12.30pm
15 Mar Family Parish Mass, 9.00am
17 Mar Parents & Friends Meeting, 6.30pm
19 Mar Choir visit to Mountain View
2 Apr Learning Showcase, 2pm
South Western Region Swimming Carnival
3 Apr Year 3/4 Blue School Mass, 10am
Ways of Being Award Ceremony, 2.30pm
4 Apr First Reconciliation and Mass, 4.30pm
5 Apr Palm Sunday
6 Apr Scientist Visit Years 5 and 6
7 Apr Years 1/2 and 5/6 Holy Week Liturgy, 9.30am
School Board Meeting, 6pm
8 Apr Years 1/2 and 5/6 Holy Week Liturgy, 9.30am
9 Apr Outdoor Education day
Term 1 concludes
The following notes have gone home this week and will be sent home via Schoolzine App. Please remember to check your childs bag daily:
- Special Swimming Carnival Lunch
Special_Swimming_Carnival_Lunch.pdf
- Netball Uniform
hoodie_and_uniform_order_2020.pdf - Winter Netball Rego 2020
SBPS_winter_netball_rego_2020.pdf - Three Way Conferences Letter 2020
Three_Way_Conferences_Letter_2020.pdf - Term Overview - Kindergarten
Kinder_overview_T1_2020_p1.docx
Kinder_Overview_T1_2020_p2.docx - Term Overview - Year 1 and Year 2
Term_1_Year_1_and_2_2020_overview_.pub - Term Overview - Year 3 and Year 4
Overview_Term_1_2020_Year_3.4.pub - Term Overview - Year 5 and Year 6
Year_5.6_overview_Term_1.pub
Swimming Carnival Tomorrow
Tomorrow, Thursday 27th February is our annual Swimming Carnival at the Queanbeyan Aquatic Centre. All students will be collected by bus at 9.30am and returned to school at 1.30pm. If you need to drop off or collect your child or children during the hours of 9.30am and 1.30pm I ask that you go to the pool and ask a staff member where the sign in and sign out area is. You are also welcome to take your child or children home from the pool you will still need to sign them out.
Don't forget the Sausage Sizzle and Drink order if your child is interested. All orders need to be placed by 5pm tonight on Qkr! or you can drop off the money in an envelope tomorrow morning at the Front Office before 9.10am.
Happy birthday to the children who celebrate their special day this week: Zachary H, Alain K, Fegus K and Amelia J.
Kinder: Sandy W, Ava K and Mario J
Year 1/2B: Savannah L and Isla M
Year 1/2G: Jayden L, Alessandra B and Thisagari R
Year 3/4B: Trinity M and Grace R
Year 3/4G: Nayan P
Year 5/6B: Sethmi L, Uma J and Edith Q
Year 5/6G: Arabella S and Amelia C
Kinder: Catelin S
Year 1/2B: Lydia P
Year 1/2G: Sebastian M
Year 3/4B: Frederick H
Year 5/6B: Adam AM, Matthew S
Year 5/6G: Niora P
Thank you to all who have volunteered their time and energy to be a member of this year’s Parents and Friends Committee. If you are able, we are still looking for someone to fill the position of Treasurer for the 2020 school year. Please let the front office know or a member of the P&F Committee is you are able to help us out.
Every Parents and Friends Committee meeting is open to all parents to attend. They are held on the Tuesday of Weeks 3 and 7 each term. Reminders will be through the Newsletter, Schoolzine app and on the School Calendar on the website. Children are most welcome to attend if childcare is a problem.
Please come along and join us.
P&F Committee
Tomorrow - Thursday 27th February the Clothing Pool will be closed due to the Swimming Carnival. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Please let Mrs McRae know at the Front Office if you need something 
from the Clothing Pool, even if you are unable to make the opening times. Where possible we will always help.
PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILD/REN'S CLOTHING IS LABELLED WITH THEIR NAME.
The Lost Property Box is located in the canteen area. Please take some time to go through the box on a weekly basis as it is Week 4 and the lost property box is overflowing and we will now randomly clean it out. All items will be washed and then donated to the clothing pool or to St Vincent de Paul.
On Thursday 27th February St Benedict's is holding its annual swimming carnival. See the special lunch order information below.
PLEASE NOTE: When ordering through QKR with a Tuckshop Order, it must be in by 9.00am the day of the order. If not, please phone the front office to assist.
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Special Swimming Carnival Lunch
1 sausage sandwich, 1 drink (milk or juice), 1 Freddo Frog $5 *Gluten Free and Vegan available.
Order through the Qkr! app through the Tuck Day Menu. If you do not have Qkr! Please send money in an envelope with your child’s name and order on it.
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St Benedict's Parish
Office Hours: Tuesday to Friday 9am to 12noon
Phone: 62957879
Email: Narrabundah@cg.org.au
Parish Team:
Fr Dan Benedetti MGL
Fr Rembert Fernando MGL
Fr Baiju Thomas MGL
Monica Nulley-Valdes (Parish Secretary)
Weekend Mass Times:
Saturday 6.00pm
Sunday 9.00am
Youth Mass 6.00pm (last Sunday of every month)
Charismatic Mass 6.00pm every Sunday
Baptisms: 11.00am, 2nd and 4th Sundays of the Month
