Emmaus Catholic Primary School

'The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.' Lin Yutang.

We know that each breath,
each thought,
each step we take is blessed by Your love.
Help us to live in imitation of the
simplicity of Jesus’ life,
so that the real people we are,
are not hidden away within us,
buried under a life made too complicated.
Amen.

Dear Parents & Caregivers

Welcome back to Term 4!

I hope you all had an opportunity to have a good break with your families. Yes, I know, I said 'Term 4' - how quickly has the year gone by and we now find ourselves in the final term of the year. This is not only an exciting time as we come into the season of Advent, but also a time where we see all the hard work that the students and staff have being doing throughout the year.

'There is joy in simplicity so remember the small things. Remember the joy and happiness and all the hope it brings. Remember to love, remember to laugh, remember to be still. Whatever you do, be yourself, be true.' Adam Smith.

I looked at this quote as we have many simple things in life that are rewarding and we don’t need to go looking for those extra - ordinary things, just the ones that we take for granted, that when you think about them really do make you appreciate the little things. These little things come in many ways from a simple vote of thanks or appreciation, to watch children engage with one another, to the peaceful times on the beach or out in nature. I at times stop and sit back to look at our students in the playground or whenever they come into the office and can’t stop thinking of how much they have grown with either their politeness, manners, perseverance, confidence in reading in public to solving problems with peers on their own. All these things make me so proud.

I encourage all parents to, at some time, take that deep breath throughout this term, be thankful for what you have and appreciate those little things.

Take care everyone and I look forward to seeing you all during the term.

Best wishes.

Sandro Coniglio

Principal

When children read, they then have to do two things:

1. Read the text and decipher words and

2. Try to remember what they have read.

The remembering is an important part of reading as we call it ‘comprehension’.

Many times, children are great readers, however, when they have to answer questions to show an understanding of what they have read, some tend to struggle.

It is important that we help and support our students with their comprehension skills as these skills will benefit them beyond reading. For example, as students work their way up the year levels Mathematics will challenge them with word problems. Therefore, a simple numerical problem for Year 3 could be, 80 ➗ 4 = __, however as a word problem it could read as, ‘The garage had 80 tyres. If each car needed 4 tyres, how many cars could be fitted with tyres?

Some children would struggle to work out this simple problem. Hence, the importance of comprehension!

A couple of techniques that may assist parents at home to work and help their children could be:

Ask open-ended questions as they read.

Questions like:

• Who are the main characters?
• How do you think the character felt when that happened?

These should be questions that require more than a Yes or No answer.

This will break the reading cycle for a moment and brings your child's attention back to the key details.

Make connections!

Help your child relate the story to their own life or different things they have seen. Making these connections makes the story more relatable and interesting for your child.

Visualise!

Help your child make mental images. Thinking about how things look, sound and feel in the story will make it easier to answer questions. Some children can draw maps, make illustrations or diagrams of what they have read.

Summarize together: After reading, have your child summarize the main ideas in their own words. This helps reinforce understanding.

Predict outcomes: Before finishing a story, ask your child what they think will happen next.

Hopefully some of these techniques will assists parents with helping their children improve their comprehension skills.

Next week we welcome back Mrs Hackner after being on a well-earned holiday. We hope that she has had a restful and enjoyable break.

While Mrs Hackner has been away, we have had Ms Cameron fill the role of Mrs Hackner as Assistant Principal. I would like to congratulate and thank Ms Cameron on, again carrying out this role in Mrs Hackner’s absence and also thank her for her outstanding efforts in the role.

The Uniform Shop will be open

in the library

2:30 - 3:30 pm

Thursday 24 October!

This Sunday 20 October is the last chance to order school photos if you have not done so already! Remember you need the unique shoot key for each student.

Dear Families

A friendly reminder that your 2024 School Fees are due to be settled by Monday 21 October 2024, unless a prior arrangement has been made with the school.

Please feel free to contact the office and speak to our Finance Officer, Rocio Albanese with any queries.

We kicked off Term 4 by celebrating National Science Week with the theme: "Species Survival: More Than Just Sustainability." During Science lessons, students explored our environment by counting bird species on school grounds and playing board games that highlight our impact on nature. The theme ties in with our ongoing Sustainability projects. In Weeks 3 and 4, students will join a “Nature Scavenger Hunt” and a “STEM Building Challenge” to learn how ecosystems rely on balance and teamwork.

Mrs Stephanie Freeman

Science Teacher and Sustainability Coordinator

This week, Bunnings Ellenbrook generously donated materials to finish our Greenhouse. With the help of parent volunteers and the Bunnings team, Emily & Aimee, we’ve equipped the Greenhouse. Bunnings also provided our first set of seeds, ready to experiment with growing produce for our school’s edible gardens. A big thank you to Laura Shaw, Craig Stewart, and Julie Hall who gave up most of their Tuesday (at very short notice) to support this project!

In line with our Science Week theme and Sustainability goals, students planted seeds for carrots, cucumbers, and basil. Younger students worked with mystery seed jars. We’re excited to see what grows and hope to share our edible produce with the Emmaus community soon.

Our school worms are thriving, and it’s time to start feeding them! Thanks to the Year 4 Worm Crew, classrooms now have Worm Food Caddies for organic waste like fruit peels and apple cores from our lunchboxes. We’re looking forward to using the “worm wizz” and castings to benefit our school gardens.

Mrs Stephanie Freeman

Science Teacher and Sustainability Coordinator

As we step into Term 4, we're excited to introduce our wellbeing theme focused on Nutrition and Physical Activity! This term, we will explore how healthy eating and regular exercise play crucial roles in our children's overall wellbeing. While many know that a balanced diet and staying active are essential for physical health, they also contribute significantly to mental, emotional, and social wellbeing.

Eating nutritious foods fuels our bodies and minds, helping children concentrate better in class, feel more energetic during playtime, and develop stronger immune systems. Similarly, engaging in physical activity not only strengthens muscles and bones but also releases endorphins, the "feel-good" hormones, which can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. By prioritising nutrition and physical activity, we’re not just promoting a healthy lifestyle; we're fostering resilience, confidence, and positive relationships among our students. Let’s work together to inspire our children to make healthy choices that will benefit them now and in the future!

There's no better way to start than with a healthy breakfast. Read about the importance of breakfast in the Breakfast Basics below.

We are excited to share that as part of our ongoing commitment to student wellbeing at Emmaus Catholic Primary School, we are hoping to introduce a new program in 2025 designed to support students who have experienced grief, loss, or significant changes in their lives. This program will be conducted separately from the classroom, by a trained teacher in small group settings, allowing for a focused and supportive environment.

The main aims of this initiative are to provide students with a safe space to express their feelings, understand their experiences, and develop coping strategies. This program will help students navigate various forms of grief or change, including but not limited to family separation, the loss or death of someone they care about, the loss of a pet, relocation or forced migration.

By fostering resilience and connection among peers who share similar experiences, we hope to help students build a sense of community and support.

To ensure this program meets the needs of our students, we would like to gauge interest among our school community. If you believe your child could benefit from such a program, please let us know by responding to the QR code below or by contacting your classroom teacher, by Friday 25 October. Your feedback will be invaluable in shaping this initiative.

We appreciate your support as we continue to promote the wellbeing of our students. Together, we can create a nurturing environment that helps every child thrive.

Ms Kate Cameron

Wellbeing Coordinator

Children enrolled in recipes next Wednesday 23 October will be making pasta and they are able to take the pasta home to eat. There will also be pasta sauce recipes to take home too! This event is only for the children enrolled in the afternoon OSHClub next Wednesday!

On the last day of Term 3, students from Years 3-6 represented Emmaus CPS at the Interschool Athletics Carnival held at Ern Clark Athletics Centre. Students had a great day competing in Team Games, 200m/400m, Sprints and Relays. It was a very proud moment to watch our students competing with such courage, skill and determination. They put everything they had into each event and a number of students even helped out other year groups in events as well. Congratulations to all the students that competed and represented Emmaus with pride!

Mrs Rebecca Bol

Physical Education Teacher

La Salle College is now taking enrolments for current Year 4 students starting Year 7 in 2027.

La Salle College offers a wide range of learning programs and academic pathways as well as opportunities in a multitude of areas such as skill-based and work-based learning, music, arts, sport and extracurricular activities and clubs.

The wonderful facilities and generous outdoor spaces include Science labs, an Aquatic Centre with a 10-lane swimming pool, Performing Arts Centre with orchestra pit, Chapel, Trade Skills Centre and a double court Sports Centre. These facilities provide an innovative and modern learning environment that inspires their students to be the best they can be.

Every student is given the opportunity to succeed. La Salle believes that education extends beyond the classroom and they encourage their students to live out their faith and values in the service of others, whilst making a positive impact on the world in which they live. Through their teaching and learning, they aim to transform tomorrow's hearts, minds and lives in all that they do.

If you would like to know more about the enrolments process or learning opportunities at La Salle College, visit www.lasalle.wa.edu.au/enrolment or contact the College Enrolments Team on 9449 0601.

With limited places available for Year 7 2027, you are encouraged to make an enquiry today.

Friday 25 October

- Teacher and EA Appreciation Day

- Whole School Merit Assembly

Tuesday 29 October

- P&F Meeting 6pm

Wednesday 30 October

- Year 5/6 Camp begins

Friday 1 November

- Year 5/6 Camp concludes

- All Saints Day Liturgy 2:00pm led by Year 4

Our next newsletter will be distributed on Friday 1 November.

Have a fabulous weekend.

God bless!

Sandro Coniglio

Principal