Newsletter Week 8 Term 4 2024
Hi Everyone,
This time of year is always busy in schools as we wind down our regular routines and add in a few special events! We are mindful that the term 4 fatigue and the Christmas and holiday anticipation makes for excitement, overtiredness and sometimes worries and changes for the unknown about the next school year. We adjust and support as the days wind down - if there are any concerns please contact teachers - we are here to help.
Year 5 NAPLAN Success
A recent state NAPLAN analysis conducted by The Daily Telegraph has recently ranked performance of every school in New South Wales by averaging Year 5 students’ reading, writing, spelling, grammar, and numeracy results in the 2024 NAPLAN. When Corpus Christi was compared to schools overall in the Hunter Region our school has achieved remarkable rankings:
- 15th in the Hunter area
- 3rd among Maitland-Newcastle Catholic primary schools
This outstanding performance is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, and the entire school community. Congratulations Year 5!
Christmas Concert
We are to welcome families to our upcoming Christmas Concert, which will be held in the school playground on Thursday 12 December. Due to ongoing building works, the hall is unavailable, so we will do our best in the school playground. We are praying for good weather - If the day is hot, we encourage you to come prepared with hats and water bottles. If it rains, the event will not be able to go ahead.
This will be a fun and relaxed event, running for approximately 45 minutes, with each class performing their Christmas song. We look forward to a fun morning filled of festive cheer and hope to see you there!
Staffing News
Classroom Teacher appointment: We are pleased to announce that Matthew Ellis has been appointed as a temporary classroom teacher for 2025. Matthew brings a wealth of experience from various schools, including Rosary Park Branxton, St Michael's Nelson Bay, and he is currently teaching at St Aloysius Chisholm. Matthew's position is currently held by Mrs. Shelley Hutchinson and the position replaces Michael Deed's susbtantive teaching role as he takes on other roles within the school.
Advent
Last Sunday marked the beginning of Advent. The time of year when we prepare for Christ to come into the world and into our lives. Advent is time for us to focus on what is really important, amongst the noise and distraction.
Pope Francis stressed that Advent is both a time of "God's closeness and our watchfulness".
Pope Francis said,"It is important to remain watchful, because one great mistake in life is to get absorbed in a thousand things and not to notice God. Drawn by our own interests and distracted by so many things, we risk losing sight of what is essential. That is why today the Lord repeats: 'To all, I say: be watchful."
Christmas Concert and St Vincent De Paul Christmas Appeal
The annual Vinnies Christmas Appeal is coming up and Corpus Christi is calling out for donations to support those in our local community who need a helping hand this Christmas. When we give an item to Vinnies, we not only give essential daily living support, we give hope to others as well.
Our Vinnies Christmas donations can be brought to school on Thursday 12th December.This is the same day as our Christmas Concert! Please read all the details below.
Corpus Christi Parish Christmas Mass: CALLING FOR VOLUNTEERS
Christmas Eve Mass will be celebrated at Corpus Christi Church on Tuesday24th December at 5:30p.m, with carols singing before Mass at 5:00p.m.
If there are any students interested in reading at this Christmas Eve Mass, please contact Mrs Castles on 49 68 3220 or email katrina.castles@mn.catholic.edu.au. The parish would love to have students and families participate and celebrate Christmas Mass at Corpus Christi.
Please find attached to the newsletter all Christmas Mass times and locations across the Holy Trinity Parish.
We are pleased to inform you that the Semester 2 academic reports will be published on Friday, 6 December. Teachers have prepared these reports based on learning and assessment throughout terms 3 and 4, teachers have also reflected on the goals set during goal-setting meetings in Term 3.
If you would like to discuss your child's report further, please feel free to reach out to teachers via email or through the school office.
On Thursday 28th November five of our Year 5 students presented their independent learning projects they have been working on as part of their Virtual Academy program.
These students worked through the design process to identify, research, collect data and propose a solution for a personal problem they identified through their study of Patterns.
The Showcase was held at the NU Space building in Newcastle which allowed other students from the Diocese to come together and share their learning.
We are very proud of Chase, Indianna, Casey, Inez and Isabelle for their hard work, persistence and independent learning skills shown in their Virtual Academy learning, as well as their courage in presenting their work and solutions to others. Congratulations!
We would like to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude to Mel Philp, our canteen coordinator, for her fantastic work in our school canteen. She ensures everything runs smoothly each week, coordinates our wonderful volunteers, and keeps our menu fresh and exciting.
Mels' hard work and commitment make a significant difference in our school canteen, and we truly appreciate all that she does!
Thank you also to the band of volunteers that work with Mel every week to ensure that the canteen can operate.
A reminder that next week is our last canteen service for the year - Monday is the Swimming Carnival - orders are open to Kindergarten and Year 1. Friday 13 December is our sushi day, orders are closed.
Following information shared earlier this term We are excited to announce the launch of the Period Positivity initiative has commenced at CCW. This initiative aims to address period poverty by providing free sanitary products in dispensers located in the girls' bathrooms. Students will have access to pads and tampons at no cost, ensuring greater accessibility, equity, and dignity for all who menstruate.
- Sanitary products will be available to students for free, via a dispenser in the student toilets
- If students find themselves needing pads or tampons, they will be available from the dispensers
- Students will still be able to use their own products, but there will be the option to use the free products provided in the female toilets for those who need them. (we also hold our own stock in the sick bay for emergencies and support students as required)
The dispenser is in one female bathroom stall (with a sanitary bin), we have impressed on all the students at an age-appropriate level the purpose of the products and that they are to be accessed by students who require them.