Dear Parents and Carers,

A good knowledge of maths and the ability to apply it is an essential part of our everyday lives. Understandably, some children have difficulty remembering the order of operations or simply to memorising their times tables.

But what exactly are the applications of mathematics in our lives?

Is teaching math to everyone really necessary?

Why not help your children to look at maths differently, starting by discussing the subject at home?

Sometimes all you need is a different approach to unlock a child’s potential at maths revision. Listed below are some of the ways in which parents can act as an educator and help their children with their maths at home.

Discuss Maths with your Child at Home
The problem with only learning maths at school is that children sometimes become too distant from the subject when they are elsewhere. This means that if the child encounters a problem in school math, they are less likely to mention it to their parents as the discussion would take place out of the school context. On the other hand, being at home could be a way of avoiding maths, especially if solving math problems and answering maths questions makes them anxious. By placing maths in a familiar context, you will familiarise yourself with the math concepts and increase your children’s confidence asking you questions.  All children are capable of learning math, so prepare to be surprised!

The best way to combat a fear is to acknowledge it, approach it and discuss it with those around you. The same goes for mathematics. Whether it’s fractions, decimals, the calculation of sums or graphing, just because you struggled with a topic as a child, it does not necessarily mean that your child will have the same difficulties. Talking about mathematics in contexts such as cooking, crafts, travelling, and playing with your children is the best way to make this subject area an active part of your children’s day-to-day lives.

For them, using maths will become just as normal as everything else. As long as you provide a reason for children to discuss maths, they will do so. The more you talk about math in a positive way around your children, the more likely they are to start taking a personal interest in it. Do not hesitate to ask them questions about maths, for example, ask them how to solve mathematical calculations while baking or on a walk.

Exercises like this will help develop their recall skills and put them at ease with maths, making for a smooth transition into technical learning in the future.

Learn Maths Through Playing Games
Whatever field of study your children choose to pursue, they will always learn better when they’re having fun than when they’re learning off by heart. So take advantage of this! Whether in the form of interactive math games online, playing board games, playing with tea sets or by playing with Lego, maths can nearly always be turned into a game for nearly any topic! For example, you could ask your children to measure the amount of pasta in a bowl or count the pieces while you cook. Lego may also be used to visualise operations such as addition and subtraction or multiplication and division. You will be pleasantly surprised to see how quickly kids learn when they’re enjoying themselves.

See Maths in Everyday Life
For many children, there is no real link between the content of their maths lessons and everyday life. However, there is an opportunity to demonstrate this link in your home, in your garden, or while doing the weekly shop. For instance, ask your children about counting the change in your purse or to calculate the total sum of your purchases as you make your way around the shop. If you enjoy cooking, why not give your child the role of sous-chef for the day and get them to help with the recipe? Measure the amounts of flour, sugar, count the eggs and estimate the cooking time, converting minutes into hours and using the clock to work out when your cake will be baked. This method of learning is far more fun than spending hours on math worksheets, homework or maths quiz questions.

See More than One Solution to a Maths Problem
Children need to learn that math is more than calculators and equals signs. There are always several ways to solve any maths problem and many maths tricks that will make your life easier. For example, for simple operations and estimation, why use a calculator when mental calculation can save you time? By showing them that there are several paths to the same answer, you will help kids develop critical thinking and logic skills as they learn to consider each approach. 

Below is the Mathematics learning model we work with at St Benedict’s.

Thank you for your ongoing care and partnership in your child’s learning.

God bless.

Rachel Smith
Principal

Education and the Federal Election
As you will be aware the Federal election will be held this Saturday, 18 May 2019. As always Catholic education does not advocate or direct votes for any party. We do seek to ensure everyone who is interested is well informed on policies relevant to education. School funding has not been a focus of the election campaign to date and is not expected to feature further in the days remaining in the campaign. In contrast, the policy positions of the major parties with respect to Early Childhood education are substantially different. Much information is available through each party’s website and through news outlets. Alongside this, specific to Catholic education the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) has prepared a guide to the federal election on their website with a number of resources.

The links below are available through the NCEC federal election page and provide further information for the 2019 Federal Election. This information has been developed to share with teachers, parents and parishes should you wish:

• 2019 federal election overview provided by NCEC
• Facts on school funding
• Frequently asked questions
• Party responses to questions from NCEC regarding Catholic education

Thank you Year 6
I must offer my thanks to the Year 6 students for their exceptional work as tour guides last week on our Open Days. We received so many affirming comments about their maturity and ability to articulate their thoughts and feelings. We provided a little training to prepare them and they exceeded our expectations. They are highly effective student leaders.

Carpark Pick Up
We have some procedures and expectations around our pick up time to help make it safe and accessible for parents, students and younger siblings. Please follow these:

• Playground equipment is not for use after school. We have one teacher on duty who is watching that every student leaves with a parent and can’t supervise the playground for safe use as well.
• Students are to sit under the trees by the fence when waiting for their parents. This ensures that all students are ready for picking up when their parents arrive. Some parents are often fitting the pick-up in along with siblings at other schools.
• Parents are to come into the playground to pick up children. Whilst it would be easy to wait in the car we have experienced a number of near misses where cars backing out have nearly hit students or younger siblings. We also need to see that children are leaving with the appropriate person.
• Disability parking is at the front of the school. For those seeking to use disability parking for pick up time these parks are now at the front of the school. The front doors are more accessible than the back gate which is often closed and the latch is high.

We know that sometimes rules/procedures such as these can create a little extra effort and we also know that families want us to ensure their children are safe. This is why we set up these types of expectations. I’m sure we can all work together to make our school a safe environment for all.

Mothers’ Day Stall
I hope everyone was able to celebrate and remember their mothers on Sunday. Thank you to those parents who helped the children select and wrap a gift to take home for their own mothers. A special thank you to Barbra Cox from the P&F for her organisation of the stall.

Winter Uniform
Just a reminder that as of Monday 13^th May all students are expected to wear their full winter school uniform. We ask that any additional winter clothing your child wears is navy in colour. Unfortunately we still have a large number of clothing items that are in the lost property box unnamed. Please encourage your children to look through the lost property items for any of their missing belongings. I ask that you label each of your children’s items clearly with their name.

Sacraments

Year 5/6 Class Parish Mass
Year 5/6 will be joining the parish this Sunday 19^th May for Mass.  We ask that those who have children in Year 5/6, to make a special effort to attend the school’s Parish Mass. The parish choir will be at this Mass and warmly welcome anyone to join in singing. If you are planning to attend Mass on Sunday and would like your child (or any family member) to have a formal role such as a reading, bringing forth the offertory or the Gospel procession, please email:

Joshua Mackenzie joshua.mackenzie@cg.catholc.edu.au
or
Alana Quirk alana.quirk@cg.catholic.edu.au

Mini Vinnies
Our Mini Vinnies are beginning to organise our annual Winter Woollies Day (whole

school event). This will be held Friday 28^th June to raise awareness about the issue of homelessness in Canberra as well as collecting donations for the St Vincent de Paul Night Patrol Van. In preparation for this we ask that all families begin collecting adult size winter clothing, as well as blankets and sleeping bags. Donations can be second-hand or new. Please store these at home until Winter Woollies Day, as we do not have the capacity to store these at school.

For more information about the Canberra Night Patrol Van, please visit

https://www.vinnies.org.au/page/Find_Help/ACT/Food/Night_Patrol/

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 usedisposable 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.

Be with Me Today, O Lord.
May all I do today begin with you, O Lord.
Plant dreams and hopes within my soul,
revive my tired spirit:
be with me today. 

May all I do today continue with your help, O Lord.
Be at my side and walk with me:
Be my support today. 

May all I do today reach far and wide, O Lord.
My thoughts, my work, my life:
make them blessings for your kingdom; let them go beyond today,

O God, Today is new unlike any other day,
for God makes each day different. 
Today God's everyday grace falls on my soul like abundant seed,
though I may hardly see it. 

Today is one of those days Jesus promised to be with me,
a companion on my journey,
And my life today, if I trust him,
has consequences unseen.
My life has a purpose. 

"I have a mission... 
"I am a link in a chain, 
a bond of connection between persons. 
God has not created me for naught... 
Therefore I will trust him. 
Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. 
God does nothing in vain. 

"He knows what he is about." 

(Author: J. H. Newman)

14-24 May Naplan Yrs 3 and 5 students
14  May     Parents & Friends Meeting, 6.30pm
17 May      Walk Safely to School Day
18 May      First Holy Communion Preparation Year 3
19 May      Parish Mass Year 5/6 Families, 9.00am
24 May      Feast of Mary Help of Christians
25 May      Sorry Day
27 May      Reconciliation Day (Public Holiday)
28 May      Reconciliation Day Liturgy, 2.30pm
7 Jun         First Friday Mass, 10.00am
9  Jun        Pentecost Sunday
10  Jun      Queens Birthday (Public Holiday)
11 Jun       Joint School Board and P&F Meeting, 6.30pm
16 Jun       Parish Mass Year Kinder Families, 9.00am
20 Jun       Year 1/2 Mountain View visit
23 Jun       First Holy Communion, 9.00am
27 Jun       Learning Showcase, 2.00pm
28 Jun       Semester reports sent home
28 Jun       Winter Woollies Day
28 Jun       St Vincent de Paul School Sleepout
1 Jul          Parent—Teacher Interviews (Optional)
2 Jul          Parent—Teacher Interviews (Optional)
5 Jul          St Benedict’s Feast Day Mass, 10.00am
6 Jul          Term 2 concludes

The following notes have gone home this week and will be sent home via Schoolzine App:

• NAPLAN
• School Fees

School Fees were emailed home on Friday afternoon, while some went home with students on Monday.  Thank you to all the families that have already started to pay their school fees.

As per the CE Policy all fees must be paid by week 5 of each term, unless you have made other arrangements.  All school fees are due this Wednesday 29^th May.

If you have not received your school fees or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Belinda in the Front Office.

Walk to School Safely Day
This Friday 17^th May is Walk to School Safely Day. Walk to School Safely Day is an annual, national event when primary school children are encouraged to walk and commute safely to school. It is a community event seeking to promote road safety, health and the environment. It is also just a nice community event.

Some staff will meet with students (who wish to participate) at the Narrabundah shops at 8:30am on Friday morning. Staff will then accompany students on their walk to school. Parents are welcome to join us.

Open Days 2019

Earn and Learn

St Benedict's is once again participating in the Woolworths Earn and Learn.

Redgum and Scholastics Bookclubs
Both Redgum and Scholastics Bookclub orders are due to school by Wednesday 15th May. Unfortunately due to the tight turn around time no late orders will be accepted at school after the 15th, but you may still order online until the 20th May. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Kindergarten: Mia Rose S, Sandy W, Mackenzie C and Matilda B

1/2 Blue: Georgia W and Antoni T

1/2 Gold: Claire D and Mia F

3/4 Blue: Rafael V, Erik E and Archer B

3/4 Gold: Isadora N, Alex H and Violeta B

5/6 Blue: Amelia C, Joanna M and Mila M

5/6 Gold: Adam O and Amiah G

1/2 Blue: Rocky James B and Nathan W

1/2 Gold: Claire L

3/4 Gold: Michael R

Happy Birthday to the children who celebrate their special day this week: Nyx H and Ava D.

Hello everyone,

Please talk with your child/children that counter sales only occur at Recess time and lunch orders must be ordered in classroom tubs first up of a morning.

As most of the food is made fresh in the canteen volunteers are needed for the peak times for this to continue. If you have any spare time, please consider dropping in and helping as volunteers are always welcome. No amount of time is too small.

FRIDAY 17th May

9am to 11.30am - Helpers Required

11.30am to 2pm - Helpers Required

TUESDAY 21st May

9am to 11.30am - Helpers Required

11.30am to 2pm - Helpers Required

If you would like to touch base about volunteering please either drop in or contact me on Cara.Cook@cg.catholic.edu.au.

Yours in tongs

Cara Cook, Canteen Manager

The Clothing Pool will be open each Tuesday and Thursday between 2.50pm to 3.15pm by appointment. 

Please let Mrs McRae know at the Front Office if you need something from the Clothing Pool.

The lost property box is located in the  canteen area.  PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILD/RENS CLOTHING IS LABELLED WITH THEIR NAME  The lost property box will be emptied throughout the term.

Entertainment Book

This term we will be selling the new 2019-2020 Entertainment Book Membership for $60. You will receive hundreds of valuable offers for shopping, dining and accommodation.  $12 of every membership sold will go towards our school. A sample copy is available for viewing at the Front Office.

Please make sure you buy a book through St Benedict’s School, and tell your family and friends about it too!

Entertainment           Book           using           the           link: https://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/23231n Then pickup your book from Belinda at the Front Office. 

Parish News

Parish Office Hours: Tuesday to Friday 9.00am to 12 noon

Weekend Mass Times

Saturday          6.00pm

Sunday            9.00am

Youth Mass      6.00pm

Charismatic Mass    6.00pm (last Sunday of the Month)

Baptisms: 11.00am, 2nd and 4th Sundays of the Month