Term 3, Week 6 2024

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

This term has been so busy and it’s hard to believe that we are at the end of Week 6!

FATHER'S DAY

This Sunday, 1st September, we celebrate Father’s Day. I want to take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate the incredible fathers and father figures in our lives. This day is a special opportunity to honour the dedication, support, and love that fathers bring to their families and our school community.

To all the dads and father figures, thank you for everything you do. Your involvement and support is essential to our school’s success and the well-being of our students. We encourage everyone to take a moment this weekend to express gratitude and celebrate these remarkable individuals.  Happy Father’s Day to all!

A sincere thanks goes to the Parents and Friends Committee for organising both the Father’s Day breakfast.

BOOK WEEK

Last week we celebrated Book Week and what an amazing celebration it was. The classes participated in a number of fun activities and the week ended with our annual Book Week Parade, which was a great celebration of the magic of books. The community involvement was fantastic and it was great to see our Playgroup families join in  with the fun.  This year’s theme was ‘Reading is Magic’, and from the array of costumes it was evident how books have inspired a true love of reading in our students.

Thank you to the Book Week committee for organising the week and to our dedicated staff who as usual loved dressing up.

BOOK FAIR

A huge thank you to our wonderful Parents & Friends (P&F) for their outstanding efforts in organising and running this year’s Scholastic Book Fair.  Their dedication and hard work made this event a tremendous success, transforming our school Chapel into a vibrant hub of literary excitement. From setting up displays to managing sales and creating a welcoming atmosphere, the P&F team’s enthusiasm and commitment were evident at every turn.

The Book Fair not only fostered a love of reading among our students but also provided valuable resources for our school library. It was a joy to see our students excitedly explore new books and immerse themselves in the world of literature.

Approximatley $600 was raised at the Scholastic Book Fair this year and this money was spent on new books and resources for our school library. Thank you to our whole school community for supporting this event.

PLANNING FOR 2025

Teachers have already begun the complex task of arranging the classes for 2025. As you can appreciate there are a number of factors that must be considered.  As a school we aim to balance the needs of the learning environment, considering gender balance, social dynamics and learner needs, so that the most optimal learning groups can be formed. If you have a particular piece of information that you would like considered in relation to your child’s needs, I invite you to email me at info@dominican.catholic.edu.au by no later than Friday 14 September.

Please note that I will not be able to process requests for teachers, as teachers may move schools or year levels, and teacher placement has not yet been set for 2025. If there is some historical information that I need to be made aware of, please put it in writing. Like all schools, final decisions about student placement rest with the school.

CLASS PLACEMENT POLICY

LLL PARENT SURVEY

Thank you to all the families who took the time to complete the LLL survey so that as a school we can gain important information for future improvement and strategic direction.  Feedback is an important aspect of improvement, and as a school we are constantly looking at ways of doing things better. All families who completed the survey went into the draw to win a $50 Schnithouse Voucher.  Congratulations to Jakki Glen for winning this prize.

PARENT AND SCHOOL COMMUNICATION - RIGHT TO DISCONNECT ACT

We understand that family engagement goes hand in hand with student wellbeing and success and productive communication is an essential feature of a positive school culture. Digital technologies have greatly assisted in this regard and the use of family information apps, social media (for general school information), school website, SEQTA and the use of email communication directly with staff is now routine.

We appreciate that parent/caregiver expectations as to staff accessibility have evolved in the context of enhanced digital communication practices. While representing efficient modes of communication, the breadth of digital communication options can create ‘availability creep’ where school employees become more accessible in locations and at times of the day, weekends and during periods of leave when they should be able to disconnect from work. Indeed, recent laws have taken effect which provide school employees a right to disconnect.

As previously communicated with families; in the interests of respecting the rights of our staff and recognising the importance of facilitating and promoting healthy communication, I remind you of the following as standard protocol during term time:

• Noting our staff spend a significant amount of their workday focussing on teaching or other activities applicable to their roles, staff will endeavour to respond to parent/caregiver communications requesting a response within 48 hours, noting staff will discern whether an urgent matter requires a shorter response timeframe.
• Families are encouraged to contact the school front office in the first instance for general information.
• Teachers will only respond to emails within their working hours of 8am - 5.30pm.

By respecting our teachers' boundaries and giving them the time and space they need outside of school hours, we can ensure that they are able to focus on their important work of educating your children. Thank you for your understanding and support in this matter.

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE 2024

This year our Year 2 and Year 5 students completed a Student Voice Postcard listing the things that are important to them and the things that matter to them most.   This information is then collated as part of the commissioner’s ‘Things that matter’ report the following year.  The following are some of our student’s responses:

• My neighbourhood would be better for kids if ……..
  • we had speed bumps and lower speed limits, quiet after 9pm and on the blank grass spots in areas put new playgrounds or sport centres.
  • we were all social and played together on weekends and got off Tik Tok
  • a bike track was put somewhere around Largs Bay
  • there were more playgrounds and netball courts, and if there weren’t as many people who smoke past my house.
  • there were more trees
  • the roads were more flat so kids can ride their bikes safety on the roads
  • the footpaths were fixed

YEAR 6 JAPANESE DINNER

In Week 6, all our Year 6 leaders were invited to a Japanese cultural dinner at the Nagomi Japanese Restaurant. The students got to experience a traditional Japanese Bento, which consisted of a variety of Japanese foods, including teriyaki chicken, tempura, sushi and rice.  This was a great experience and the students enjoyed the cultural experience.  They all very quickly learnt how to use chop sticks and had a lot of fun doing so.  Thank you to Mayumi Wong and the year 6 teachers for organising and supporting this cultural night. 

CHILD PROTECTION WEEK - WEEK 7

This year National Child Protection Week will continue to champion the message ‘Every child in every community needs a fair go’. 

This message captures the essence of National Child Protection Week which aims to promote a safe and supported life for every child, now and into the future.  

In 2024, the message that ‘Every child in every community needs a fair go’ will be complemented with the theme ‘Every conversation matters’.

Conversations are powerful tools to keep children and young people safe and well.  Therefore, this year we are calling all Australians to start a new conversation.

For more information visit the following website: https://www.napcan.org.au/get-involved-2024/

The South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools (SACCS) requires its schools to implement child safety policies and practices, including child safety education. Please see the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum information for parents and carers

For further information, please visit Safe Environments for All on the Catholic Education South Australia website.

Many Blessings for the week ahead.

Angela Scodella
PRINCIPAL

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

This Sunday we celebrate FATHER’S DAY. On this day we honour and give thanks for our dads, grandads and all the special male role models in our lives. We want all the dads at Dominican to know how important you are. Thank you for your constant love, care and nurture for your children. We pray to our loving God to bless, protect and strengthen you all.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES APPEAL

A little giving goes a long way… Charity is at the heart of living Catholic and each September we celebrate Catholic Charities month. Catholic Charities is our South Australian organisation that provides support to agencies making a difference to the lives of the vulnerable and disadvantaged in our community, including Our Lady of La Vang and St Patrick’s Special Schools, Aboriginal Catholic Ministry, Centacare Catholic Family Services, and the Hutt St Centre. Each family has received a donation envelope, and you are invited to make a donation via the reply paid envelope or online at: adelaide.catholic.org.au/donate  .

 Lisa Osborne
STUDENT WELLBEING AND LEADERSHIP SUPPORT

GATEWAYS EUREKA PROGRAM

The Gateways Eureka program 'Mathematical Marvels' offers students an exciting opportunity to dive deep into the world of mathematics through engaging and challenging activities. Designed to ignite curiosity and enhance problem-solving skills, the program explores advanced mathematical concepts in a fun, hands-on way. Students are encouraged to think critically and creatively, making connections between the math they learn in class and real-world applications. 

This program was offered to our students involved in the Enrichment program from Year 1 to Year 6. Dominican also hosted approximately 50 other students from other Catholic schools to participate in this program run by dedicated teachers with a passion in mathematics and extending students thinking further. This program was a perfect opportunity to complement our Enrichment Program and gave our students and opportunity to be young mathematicians, stretch their minds, and discover the marvels of mathematics with like-minded peers.

Nick Ryan
LEADER OF LEARNING

YEAR 1 MATHEMATICS

In Year One, our exploration of measurement in Maths has been both engaging and educational. We've delved into understanding weight by experimenting with various objects using balance scales. Initially, we learned that in order to determine which of three objects was the heaviest or lightest, we couldn't simply weigh them all at once. Instead, we discovered that the process required us to compare two objects at a time. By placing each pair on the balance scales, we were able to see which object was heavier or lighter in comparison to the other. This hands-on activity not only helped us grasp the concept of weight, but also taught us the importance of precise measurement and comparison. Through this method, we gained valuable insights into how objects relate to one another in terms of weight, which is a fundamental skill in the study of measurement.

Olivia Andrews
1A CLASSROOM TEACHER

TERM 3 VACATION CARE PROGRAM

Spaces for our OSHC Holiday Program are filling up fast! Don’t miss out on the chance to book your spot. Remember, availability is limited and spots are snapped up quickly.

To secure your place, please book via the Spike app or email us directly at oshc@dominican.catholic.edu.au. Act fast to ensure you don’t miss out!

Paula Northeast
OSHC DIRECTOR

PREMIER'S BE ACTIVE CHALLENGE

The Challenge:

The Premier’s Be Active Challenge invites students to engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on at least 5 days each week for a minimum of 4 weeks. To make it manageable, the 60 minutes of activity can be broken down into different time blocks—whether that's three 20-minute sessions, two 30-minute sessions, or one continuous hour. The key is to ensure that the total of 60 minutes is achieved each day.

How It Works:

From Weeks 3 to 7 of Term 3, students will complete their 60 minutes of physical activity throughout the school day. This could include a variety of activities such as playing sports, running, dancing, or even structured physical education sessions. At the end of the 4-week period, students who consistently meet the daily activity goal will be awarded a medal in recognition of their dedication and effort. These medals will be distributed later in the year to celebrate their achievements.

We believe that this challenge will not only help students develop healthy habits but also enhance their overall well-being and academic performance. We encourage all students to participate enthusiastically and look forward to seeing them embrace a more active and energetic lifestyle!

Matthew Annetta
PE TEACHER AND SPORTS COORDINATOR

PREMIER'S READING CHALLENGE

The Premiers Reading Challenge encourages students to read 12 books per year between April – September. 

The 2024 challenge will soon be ending, but there is still a bit of time left. If your child is interested in this challenge or has almost completed it, they have until the end of Week 7 of Term 3. 

During Term 4 they will be awarded with a medal representing how many years they have been participating and how many challenges they have completed. Some students are heading to Hall of Fame! 

Our Junior Primary students complete this challenge as a class, whereas our Middle and Upper Primary students are asked to complete this challenge individually. 

Happy reading! 

Amy Treen
PRC COORDINATOR

WELLBEING DAY

On Friday 30^th of August we are having a whole school Wellbeing Day. Students will spend the day in their House Teams. Our focus for the day will be kindness and joy. Teaching about positive emotions can help our students to develop increased resilience,  creativity, confidence and curiosity, as well as improving academic outcomes.

We will spend the day doing activities in our house teams to experience joy and promote kindness to themselves and others. Ways to promote joy and kindness at school and home include…

Lisa Osborne
SCHOOL COUNSELLOR

PLEASE NOTE: OSHC IS FULLY BOOKED FOR THE PUPIL FREE DAY.  PLEASE MAKE ALTERNATIVE ARRAGEMENTS IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A BOOKING.

R U OK? DAY

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL DOG DAY MOLLY FOR MONDAY 26TH AUGUST!!