HAPPY FATHER'S DAY !!

What a wonderful morning to celebrate the fathers and father figures in our students’ lives today! The sun was shining, the coffee and hot chocolates provided by the MAD and Stay Grounded vans were delicious, and the ham and cheese croissants were the perfect breakfast before playing. A very big thanks to all who made this possible at school - Amanda Thomas for the organisation, support staff for assisting with signing in, Kath Bailey for assisting our parent helpers with breakfast prep, Olivia Gibb for preparing our choir for their beautiful tribute (with support for the video from Natalie McKenzie), Jeff Arkinstall for providing active games for the morning and all staff for supporting the day. Please see the thanks below to our parent volunteers. We wish all fathers and father figures a wonderful day on Sunday - enjoy our choir children sharing their special song with you: 

LEARNING ASSISTANT APPRECIATION WEEK

 

We have an incredible team of staff in our school who help to make our school a place of welcome, care and learning. This is especially true of our Learning Assistants, who we celebrated in this National Learning Assistant Appreciation Week and acknowledged their incredible contribution to our school. Their care, dedication, and support enrich every classroom and make a real difference in the lives of our students. We are deeply grateful for all that they do each day to help our learners thrive.

MISSION

FATHER'S DAY STALL & BREAKFAST HELPERS - THANK YOU !!

A massive thank you to all those who assisted with the Father’s day stall conveyed by Erin Maker, Alison Ralph, Kate Roods and Lauran Vallim. And a special thank you to the parents and helpers who prepared 500 croissants for the Father’s Day breakfast as well: Kath Bailey, Jodie Brindle, Simone Roods, Laura Harrison, Krystal Cerato, Emily Daley, Suzanne Cash, Jessica Cassegrain, Melissa Caruso and Olivia Pursell. These events simply wouldn’t be possible without your support.

KINDERGARTEN CELEBRATION OF THE WORD

NEXT FRIDAY...

TELL THEM FROM ME PARENT SURVEY

YOUR FEED BACK MATTERS

Thank you to all the 150 parents and carers who took part in our recent Tell Them From Me survey. Your honest feedback is invaluable in helping us improve our school community. Each week this term we will share some feedback from the data collated.

PARENTING TIP:

WHOSE VOICE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ?

It’s normal for kids to hear negative comments as they spend more time in social settings. Teaching them whose voice matters most: their own first, then family, then friends, and finally classmates, helps them keep unkind words in perspective so they don’t stick.

LEARNING

THE HEADS UP ON READING FLUENCY

Reading fluency is much more than simply “reading fast.” It’s about reading smoothly and accurately, with natural expression, so it sounds like talking. When children read fluently, their brains don’t have to work as hard to figure out each word. This frees them up to focus on understanding the meaning, building vocabulary, and enjoying reading rather than finding it hard work.

We are placing a special focus on strengthening our students’ reading fluency. Fluency is the bridge between word reading and comprehension. The two go hand in hand: fluent reading supports understanding, and good understanding supports fluent reading. Skilled readers combine their ability to recognise words, use punctuation effectively, and apply oral language skills to make their reading flow naturally.

Fluent readers have moved beyond “sounding out” every word. They can recognise many words instantly (their sight vocabulary), which takes the pressure off their working memory. This means more brainpower is available for thinking about what the text means, rather than using all their energy on decoding. The best way to build this fluency is through regular, purposeful oral reading practice - because, like any skill, the more children practise, the more confident and capable they become.

There are three core components of fluency:

• Rate (speed) – When we talk about speed in reading fluency, we are talking about how quickly your child can recognise words within a text. If they are often pausing to sound out words or asking for help with identifying words, then they likely need to work on their speed. However, speed also relies on another skill, accuracy. 

• Accuracy (correctly decoding words) – Accuracy has to do with actually being able to recognise words in a text correctly. This skill relies on the amount of vocabulary that your child has built, as well as their skills in phonics. Speed and accuracy are closely related skills that work together in order for your child to read smoothly. 

• Expression (prosody: intonation, stress, volume) – Expression is your child’s ability to read texts like spoken language. They are able to recognise when to change their tone, accent, and pitch when they read aloud. This is a reflection of their reading comprehension as well.

You can help improve your child’s reading fluency at home by practising some strategies every day that can help them build the different skills needed to achieve fluency:-

• Read aloud every day (10 minutes is plenty). Consistency beats length.

• Use familiar texts - Rereading a just-right book or decodable text strengthens accuracy and speed.

• Echo reading - You read a sentence/paragraph first; your child “echoes” it back, matching your pace and expression.

• Choral reading - Read a page together, in unison - great for building confidence.

• Phrase it - Lightly run a finger under groups of words (not every single word) to model natural phrasing.

• Spotlight tricky words - If a word trips them up, pause and revisit it together, then reread the sentence smoothly.

• Pair print with audio - Listening to a quality audiobook while following the text can model expression and pacing.

• Celebrate progress - Notice smoother reading, better phrasing, or fewer pauses - specific praise motivates!

PEER SUPPORT

This week in Peer Support, children explored different ways to say “thank you” to the people who support us. They discovered how to express gratitude in several languages, including German, Italian, and even Japanese! Through fun games and activities, the children learned the importance of saying “thank you” to those who help us. Throughout the week, encourage your child to think about the things they are thankful for every day.

Tess Koning Principal

Karen Robson Assistant Principal Learning

Rebecca Cameron Assistant Principal Mission

DANCE EISTEDDFOD TICKET SALES ...

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ALSO

COMPETITION DAY THURSDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER

TICKETS GO ON SALE....

Wednesday 10th September 9.00am (sharp)

A limit of 4 tickets per transaction @ $16.50 each

Tickets are available from the Glasshouse Website:

Ticket Sales Link

This is a competition not a showcase.

12 schools are taking part in the competition this year with a high level of interest,

Tickets WILL SELL OUT !!

Use the 'Name of Performance Section' to purchase your tickets !!!

Thursday 25th September Dance Eisteddfod Schedule

HAIR AND MAKE UP REQUIREMENTS

PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW RELATING TO YOUR CHILD.

The Links will also be in the Compass Events being sent out next week for Parent Consent to the Boys Group, Years 1 to 4.

Boys - Make Up Requirements

Year 1 - Hair and Make Up Requirements

Year 2 - Hair and Make Up Requirements

Year 3 - Hair and Make Up Requirements

Year 4 - Hair and Make Up Requirements

Year 5 - Hair and Make Up Requirements

Year 6 - Hair and Make Up Requirements

SHOWCASE INVITATION

Parents and guests will enter the MacKillop Junior hall via the road in the middle of St Peter's Primary and MacKillop Junior Campus. A QR code will be provided for everyone to sign in. Chairs will be available for parents and guests to be seated from 9:15am.

BOYS GROUP .....

Eisteddfod Dance Group

Our talented Dance Eisteddfod groups have been working incredibly hard, fine-tuning their routines and bringing their passion and energy to every rehearsal! With the competition in Week 10 fast approaching, excitement is building—and this week, we got a sneak peek at their stunning costumes! We can't wait to see all their hard work come to life on stage. Keep up the great work, dancers! 

This week, we're shining the spotlight on our incredible Boys group, who have been working hard on their high-energy routine to "Sweet Dreams"! These talented young dancers have been giving it their all—practising their choreography, standing at attention, smashing out burpees and push-ups, and mastering the art of dancing in unison through teamwork and dedication. Their routine is packed with fun, energy, and spirit, and we can't wait to see them light up the stage in Week 10!

Olivia Gibb

Creative Arts Coordinator

IMPORTANT Reminders for Parents and Carers -

• ALL Late arrivals MUST be signed in by a parent or carer.  Parents can then be sure that their children have arrived safely to school. Parents/carers not signing late children in at the office will be contacted.
• If your child is away, it is important that you reply to the absence SMS sent. On the day of absence -  When responding please click on the link in the text message and give a clear and precise explanation for your child's absence. 

• For family holidays longer than 10 consective and/or cumulative days during school time, all parents/carers must complete an Extended Leave Notification Form 01  and provide a copy of the itinerary.

Extended Leave Form 01

The Extended Leave Form is also located on Compass !

• Use the tile - "Open in Browser"
• Go the People Icon - (top bar)
• School Documentation
• Parent Resource Folder

Our Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) focus for Weeks 7 and 8 is "Being a Learner," with a special emphasis on the importance of asking for help and recognising the needs and feelings of others. This aligns with R U OK? Day, a national initiative that encourages meaningful conversations and connection.

As part of our support for R U OK?, we're helping students understand the power of a simple question: “Are you OK?” By making this part of our everyday language, we can build a culture where students feel seen, heard, and supported—no matter what they’re facing.

When we take the time to ask someone how they’re really going and listen with empathy, we can make a real difference—often well before a situation becomes a crisis. You don’t need to be an expert; just being there and showing you care can help someone feel less alone.

We’re encouraging students to:

• Recognise when a friend might not be OK
  
  
• Learn how to offer support in a caring and appropriate way
  
  
• Understand when and how to seek help for themselves
  
  

Classroom discussions will focus on developing these skills, along with the importance of choosing the right time and place for meaningful conversations, and building trusted relationships through everyday chats about life’s ups and downs.

Together, we can create a community where everyone feels safe, connected, and supported.

HELP US BUILD OUR PROP AND COSTUME SUPPLIES

Drama builds confidence, creativity, and communication skills.
It encourages teamwork, empathy, and self-expression in a fun, engaging way.

We're looking for simple dress-up clothes and props to support our drama at St Peter's. Items will be used for characterisation and improvisation.

If you have any of the following at home, we’d love to give them new life:

Old costumes or dress-up clothes

Hats, scarves, ties, or accessories 

Simple props (no weapons, please!)

Newspapers for puppet-making

Please drop off donations at the school office during school hours.

Thank you for helping our students bring their creativity to life!