Merciful God, as we enter Holy week, turn our hearts again to Jerusalem, and to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Stir up within us the gift of faith that we may not only praise him with our lips but may follow him in the way of the cross.

Thursday 6 Apr - Last day of Term 1

Thursday 6 Apr - Passion Play 9.30am

Thursday 6 Apr - Merit Certificate Assembly & Easter Raffle

Monday 24 Apr - School resumes for all students

Tuesday 25 Apr - ANZAC DAY Public Holiday

Wednesday 26 Apr - Pupil Free Day - Staff PD Day (Making Jesus Real PD)

Monday 8 May - Pupil Free Day - Staff PD Day (RE Theology PD)

Monday 5 June - WA DAY Public Holiday

Please note:

Dates are subject to change, please also refer to the Term Planner on our Website.

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

This Sunday, we celebrate Palm Sunday, when Jesus made his entrance into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-9), palm branches were placed in His path, before His arrest on Holy Thursday and His Crucifixion on Good Friday. It marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of Lent and the week in which Christians celebrate the mystery of their salvation through Christ’s death and His Resurrection on Easter Sunday. The Year 5’s have been working on presenting the Passion Play to our community. We will be sending out the link to the Passion Play on Thursday afternoon and we would like to thank our Year five teachers and students for taking the lead in this special play. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQNHIX3FOf8

START OF TERM TWO

Just a reminder that Term Two begins on Monday 24th April.

PUPIL FREE DAYS FOR TERM TWO

A reminder that Wednesday 26th April and Monday 8th May are Pupil Free Days.

DR Justin Coulson - On Tuesday 9th May from 6.30 – 8.30pm

Dr Justin Coulson will be speaking at La Salle Senior Lecture Theatre if you look at the flyer in the newsletter you will be able to book your free ticket to this event. We look forward to seeing many of our parents attend to listen to this wonderful speaker.

Dr Justin Coulson is one of Australia’s leading parenting experts and is a highly sought after international speaker and author. Justin recently launched his second book called “21 Days to a Happier family”. This impressive, scientific-based book is aimed at guiding parents through the latest research and up to date parenting thinking.

What are your top 3 guiding principles to parenting?

1. Parents have got to establish great relationships with their children – too often we get caught up in correction and direction and so many of our interactions are nothing more than telling them what to do. Over time this actually causes problems in our relationships. We have to take the time to invest in the relationship.
2. Children don’t need reprimanding they need understanding. When our children are being challenging our typical response is to dismiss them and turn away or we disapprove, and we turn against them. We become their enemies. If someone treated us like that as an adult our relationships would not last long. I recommend we see their challenging behaviour as an opportunity to turn towards our children and reconnect with them. We do this by recognising and labelling their emotions, understanding their perspective, and guiding our children to regulate their emotions by being patient, kind and calm.
3. Understanding the difference between discipline and punishment – we often think they are the same thing but they are not. Punishment means hurting someone because we don’t like what they have done. Discipline means teaching, guiding or instructing and problem solving. When we understand that we approach our children’s challenging behaviours in immensely different ways than our typical approach.

Parent Interviews

Attending parent-teacher conferences allows parents to stay informed about their child's academic progress, behaviour, and overall well-being in school. This information can help parents understand their child's strengths and weaknesses and identify areas where they can provide support at home.

Building a positive relationship with teachers and school staff can be beneficial for both parents and students. When parents are involved in their child's education, it sends a message to the child that education is important and valued. Teachers and staff can also benefit from parent involvement by gaining a better understanding of the child's home life and any challenges they may be facing.

When parents and teachers work together, they can collaborate on solutions to help the child succeed. For example, if a child is struggling with a particular subject, the teacher may be able to provide additional resources or suggest strategies for practice at home. Parents can also share information about the child's interests and strengths, which can help teachers tailor their instruction to better engage the child.

By attending school events and checking in on their child's progress, parents can help encourage accountability and responsibility in their child. When students know that their parents are invested in their education, they may be more motivated to work hard and take their studies seriously.

Overall, attending school to learn of their child's progress is important for parents because it helps them stay informed, build relationships with teachers and staff, collaborate on solutions to support their child, and encourage accountability in their child.

This term all parents are invited to attend parent teacher meetings to discuss their child’s development and progress. We ask that every parent takes the time to meet with their classroom teacher and learn of the amazing progress of your child.

Passion Play

Our Passion Play is always a highlight of our school. Each year our Year five students along with their teachers Miss Smith and Mr Burro have been practicing the play to share with the community. Due to COVID we have decided not to hold the play on Holy Thursday but instead to video the play and place it on the website for you to view.

Easter Raffle

The easter raffle will be taking place on Thursday 6th April. Normally it would be at the assembly but due to COVID we have chosen not to hold the assembly in the hall. Our wonderful P & F will draw the prizes after recess and the winners will receive their eggs in their classrooms to bring home to their families.

We thank all our generous parent and staff for donating so many wonderful eggs for our raffle. The raffle is always a highlight for our school with so many prizes. A special thank you to our two easter bunnies who stood out the front of the school to support our raffle. They were both very good bunnies that delighted our children.

Auditory Processing

Auditory Processing is the ability to understand what people say, and giving the correct meaning to language that is heard. It develops slowly, can sometimes take years, varies greatly between individuals and can affect learning, self-esteem and behaviour. Intelligent and high-achieving children may experience Auditory Processing difficulties.

Common signs of AP difficulty:

· Difficulty sounding out words and spelling.

· Reading and comprehension difficulties.

· Motivation.

· Inattentive or selective hearing.

· Daydreams, distractible, vague.

· Talkative OR quiet OR withdrawn.

· In trouble often, but doesn’t know why.

How to help with AP difficulty:

· Look at the listeners and read their facial expressions and body language.

· Listen to the child and consider that they may have heard a ‘different’ message.

· Reduce language overload….short, concise instructions are best.

· Insisting that a child looks at you can increase anxiety and reduce understanding.

· Allow ‘think time’….teach and expect children to think before responding to questions.

· Expect to say things only once.

· Give positive instructions…..’Please walk’, rather than, ‘Don’t run’.

· Reduce background noise.

· Move closer to the child when giving explanations or instructions.

· Ensure you have their attention before speaking.

· Lip reading can help some children.

Check the child’s understanding by watching their reactions; don’t ask them

to paraphrase or question their understanding.

May God bless you and keep you safe over the holidays we look forward to you returning safely next term.

Paula MacKenzie

Principal

WINTER UNIFORM – TERM 2

With a new term comes a change of uniform from our summer uniform to our winter uniform. A reminder that our PP – Year 2 students will continue to wear their sports unform (Blue Polo) and track suit.

Year 3 - 6 will wear their full winter school uniform. The tie is a part of the school uniform and must be worn to ensure children are wearing the correct uniform. We will continue wearing leather black lace up shoes as part of our unform not black joggers. Also, the school jumper is part of our school uniform not the sports jacket this is to be worn only with the sports uniform.

Full winter school uniforms are to be worn from day 1 of Term 2, Monday 24 April.

It may also be time to look at hair styles, we are noticing a few longer styles and long fringes. Could we please ask that boys hair is short back and sides. Also there have been a few ‘extreme’ hairstyles of late (razor cuts, mullets and shaved sides). These are not allowed as part of the Uniform Policy.

JEWELLERY

Studs or sleepers may be worn if both ears have been pierced, with one stud or sleeper is to be placed in each earlobe. Ear piercing should be done during school holidays so earrings can be removed when school resumes. The ONLY other acceptable jewellery is chains with crosses or holy medallions (to be worn under the school shirt), wristwatch or a Medic Alert bracelet (the only bracelet permitted. Please see examples bellow.

Please see the schools Uniform Guideline Booklet for further information.

https://stbrigidsms.wa.edu.au/our-students/uniforms/

We thank you for your support in this area.

PARENT INTERVIEWS

Parent interviews continue this week within the school. It is a wonderful opportunity for parents to find out how their child is progressing in school. All parents were invited to meet with their classroom teacher. I would encourage every parent to make the time to meet with their child’s teacher and learn about the amazing things your child is achieving in school. Thank you to the teachers for collecting such rich information to share with parents. If you did not make an interview time or missed the PTO, please email your child’s teacher and request an interview day and time.

PASSION PLAY

Due to an increased number of COVID-19 cases amongst students and staff across the school recently and in the best interests of health for all, we have decided to limit the amount of whole school events where all students and parents gather in an enclosed area (at this stage, for the remainder of Term 1 only). With this in mind, we will do as we did last year with the Passion Play on Thursday 6 April. The Passion Play will be videoed and posted on the school website for the entire school community. This event will not be open for parents to attend. The other classes will also not attend the Passion Play in the Hall. Merit Certificates will still be presented, but these will be presented individually to the students in their classrooms.

STUDENT ATTENDANCE

It is recognised that all students need to attend school on a regular basis to gain the maximum benefit from schooling in order to optimise their life opportunities. It is also widely recognised that attendance problems are best managed by early identification and intervention.

The School Education Act 1999 and the School Education Regulations 2000 requires compulsory aged students to attend school on the days on which the school is open for instruction unless an arrangement in writing has been entered into with the Parents/Carers.

At St Brigid’s Primary we believe that consistent attendance and participation at school are essential factors in achieving social and academic learning outcomes. In order to access the full curriculum, and give your child the best chance of success, the Department of Education WA recommends the attendance rate of 95%.

The below chart gives a breakdown of the amount of time missed in a year, and if maintained, how it impacts on the future education of your child.

St Brigid’s Primary School will:

• Maintain accurate attendance records;
• Respond to Education Department requests for reporting and disclosure of attendance data;
• Manage alternative attendance arrangements where these are appropriate;
• Address student absence;
• Develop plans for students with persistent absence; and
• Retain all relevant documentation.
• Inform parents/careers of low attendance (Week 5 & Week 10 each term).

Teacher responsibilities:

• Record each student’s attendance at 8.45 am each morning.
• Send students who arrive after the 8.45am bell to the administration block to be recorded as late.
• Inform parents that any notes relating to absence need to be handed in to the administration.
• If parents inform teachers of an upcoming holiday, direct them to the administration to speak with school leadership.
• Discuss and refer non-attendance to the Assistant Principal’s.
• Provide education assessments for students who have been disengaged and return to school.

Student responsibilities:

• Attend school at all times when the school is open for instruction.
• Arrive on time to school and to every class.
• Provide a written explanation from their parents/carers to their teachers when they have been absent from school.
• Remain on the school premises during school time unless they have the permission to leave from both the school and their parents/carers. This includes before school.

Parent responsibilities:

• Ensure that their child attends school at all times when the school is open for instruction
• Ensure that their child is on time for school each day – before 8.45am. Classrooms are open at 8.30am.
• Notify the school of their child’s absence as soon as possible on the first day of the child’s absence by written authorisation, email or phone contact.
• Notify the school in writing if an absence of any period is planned. Notification should be received before the absence begins.
• Work cooperatively and collaboratively with the school to develop and implement improvement strategies when attendance has been inconsistent due to reasons deemed unsatisfactory by the school.
• Ensure that all contact details for the child are correct and up to date.

Holy Week Schedule 2023

Palm Sunday Masses

• Saturday (1 April 2023, 6:30 pm) St Brigid’s
• Sunday (2 April 2023, 8:00 am) Herne Hill
• Sunday (2 April 2023, 9:30 am) St. Brigid’s
• Sunday (2 April 2023, 6:00 pm) St. Brigid’s
  
  

Holy Monday (3 April 2023)

• 8:00 am Mass (St. Brigid’s)
  
  

Holy Tuesday (4 April 2023)

• 8:00 pm Mass (St. Brigid’s)
  
  

Holy Wednesday (5 April 2023)

• 9:30 am Mass (St Brigid’s)

Holy Thursday (6 April 2023)

• 5:00 to 6:00 pm Reconciliation (St, Brigid’s)
• 7:30 Lord’s Supper Mass (St. Brigid’s)
  
  

Good Friday (7 April 2023)

• 10:00 am Solemn Morning Prayer and Stations of the Cross (St. Brigid’s)
• followed by Reconciliation (St. Brigid’s)
• 3:00 pm Celebration of the Passion of the Lord (St Brigid’s)

Holy Saturday (8 April 2023)

• 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Reconciliation
• 7:30 pm Easter Vigil Mass

Easter Sunday Masses (9 April 2023)

• 8:00 am Herne Hill
• 9:30 am St. Brigid’s
• 6:00 pm St. Brigid’s
  
  

CHRIST IS RISEN!!!

Please continue to practice:

Physical distancing where possible (2m)
Maintain good personal hygiene at all times
When unwell, stay home and get tested.

Weekly Dad Tips​​​…..The Fathering Project.

Your child’s self-image or self-identity refers to their mental image of themselves, of who they are as individuals, socially and more globally.

A sense of image or identity can be shaped by personal experiences, interaction with you and others, the local environment, and their own unique personality.

Self-image has a lot to do with self-esteem because how your child sees themselves is a big contributing factor to how they feel about themselves.

Whether your child is young, or heading into their tween or teen years, making a conscious effort to be aware of how you engage with your child and the impact on their self-esteem and self-image is important.

​​​​​​Top Tips

1. Accept your child for who they are. Regardless of how different your child may be compared to you, it’s crucial to let them know you love and value them as they are.

2. Pay attention to and listen to your child. This tells children they are important and valued and that it is safe to express feelings and opinions.

3. Give them genuine compliments. Show them that you notice more than their appearance or their performance. Focus on a range of qualities – their positive choices, creativity, or their ability to act as a good friend.

​​​​​​​​​​Dad joke of the week

I told my son I saw a deer on the way to work this morning. He asked, "How do you know it was on its way to work..?"

The Importance of Easter in our Catholic Faith….

Easter is one of the most important and significant events in the Christian calendar, and it is especially significant for Catholic Christians. It is a time when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, which is a central belief of the Catholic faith.

At Easter time, we remember the events leading up to Jesus' death and resurrection. We remember how he entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, was betrayed by Judas, and crucified on Good Friday. But the most important event of all is the resurrection, which happened on Easter Sunday.

The resurrection of Jesus is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it demonstrates God's power over death and shows that death is not the end. It is a promise of eternal life for all who believe in Jesus. Secondly, it confirms that Jesus is the Son of God and that he was sent to save us from our sins. Finally, it gives us hope that we too will be raised from the dead and join Jesus in heaven one day.

As Catholic Christians, we celebrate Easter by attending Mass, praying, and reflecting on the significance of Jesus' death and resurrection. We also participate in other Easter traditions such as the Stations of the Cross, the Easter Vigil, and the blessing of Easter food.

Overall, Easter is a time of joy, hope, and celebration for Catholic Christians, as we remember the great sacrifice that Jesus made for us and the promise of eternal life that his resurrection brings.

Caritas Australia:

Throughout the term we have raised money for Caritas. These funds go all around the world helping people in various communities.

Thu's story…… Vietnam

Thu lost his leg after stepping on a land mine in Vietnam. With your generosity, Thu can now earn extra income and support his wife as she recovers from a stroke.

Thu was just 12 years old when he lost his leg. One day, he was looking after his cows when he stepped on an unexploded land mine.

“War is most terrible with great loss. At the end of the war, there are still consequences such as unexploded ordnance, causing many losses, casualties and death,” Thu says.

Thu lives in the Quảng Trị province, located on the Northern Central Coast of Vietnam. Situated along the demilitarised zone that divided Vietnam, the province was one of the most heavily bombed areas during the Vietnam War and is considered one of the most polluted provinces in terms of unexploded ordinances (UXOs) in Vietnam.

In addition to being the breadwinner for his family, Thu had to take on the role of caring for his wife, Linh, after she suffered a stroke.

"She almost lost herself after the stroke and had to lean on me. I could understand how she felt because I had experienced the same at the age of 12 after a landmine accident took one of my legs," Thu said.

Determined to turn their lives around, Thu and Linh joined the Empowerment of People with Disabilities program, run by Caritas Australia’s local partner in Vietnam, the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD).

The Empowerment of People with Disabilities program supports people living with disabilities to establish Village Saving and Loans Associations (VSLA) so that they can access affordable loans. Through the VSLA he was able to obtain a low-interest loan, which he used to open his own barber shop on a new road that was constructed near his home.

For Thu, the greatest impact that the program has had is seeing the change in Linh’s physical and mental wellbeing. With the support of a physiotherapist, Linh can now walk short distances with the aid of a walking stick.

"I am grateful to Caritas Australia for the help they give to people living with disability like me and my wife,” Thu says. “Thank you to Caritas Australia and the Australian people."

Hello my name is Kylie and I have been the Canteen Manager at St Brigid's Primary School for over 12 years. I am looking for any mums, dad, grandparents or careers who can spare some time to help out in the canteen. If you can't help for the entire day, that's not a problem, we would be grateful for anytime you can offer. The busiest time in the canteen is between 11.15am to 12.30pm. I find that the children love seeing there loved ones in the canteen it always bring a bit of fun into there day.

As a little "thank you" for your help, the canteen will provide you with lunch, a cold drink and bottomless cups of tea/coffee. Any additional information please feel free to come and see me in the canteen, I am happy to have a chat with you. Kind Regards, Mrs Kylie Dickenson

If you have placed an online order through QuickCliq and your child is unwell or the canteen is closed, you MUST cancel your order before the cut off time of 9.00am by going online and following these instructions:

Log into your QuickCliq account -> click Active/Cancel order -> Scroll to the right -> click Cancel against the order.

Uniform Shop Opening Hours

Monday 8.00am till 10.00am

Wednesday 1.30pm till 3.30pm

ONLINE UNIFORM ORDER FORM

If you need to place an order please click the Uniform Order Form, complete the form and either sent it to uniform@stbrigidsms.wa.edu.au or alternatively you can send the form in with your student to be handed into the office.

WINTER UNIFORM

When students return to school on Monday the 24th of April, we remind families that all students should be wearing the correct winter uniform.

Before the end of term please take this opportunity to ensure that our girls are wearing skirts which are the appropriate length and all uniforms are tidy and in good repair.

Please utilise the online ordering service to avoid the long wait times during this busy period.

If you need to place an order please click the Uniform Order Form, complete the form and either sent it to uniform@stbrigidsms.wa.edu.au or alternatively you can send the form in with your student to be handed into the office.

Children in years 3 to six should be wearing their school ties as this is part of our winter uniform.

As part of this uniform all students should wear clean and polished black leather lace-up shoes. For more information, please see our Uniform Guidelines in the School Uniform Guideline Booklet

Parents, we are here to support you and your children in before and after school hours! We offer a secure, safe and exciting environment for your children to thrive and be a part of a socialized group.

Please note an enrolment form and 1 days' notice is to be given to make your casual bookings for your children.

We are here to help! Enrolment forms are now online https://www.helpinghandsnetwork.com.au/register/#.

Vacancies Available Now!

E: stbrigidsmiddleswan@helpinghandsnetwork.com.au

The Midvale Hub Parenting Service offers a range of parenting programs to assist you to grow happy healthy children. Individual assistance with parenting is available for any parenting concerns you may have, just talk to one of our Parenting Educators and they will be more than happy to listen and provide practical support and skill building.

Our Parent Information and Support is offered through:

• Parenting programs for groups and individuals

• Individual and group support sessions

• Community events

Please click on the below link to view the workshops and programs that are being offered this school term for 2023.

https://www.midvalehub.org.au/copy-of-midvale-hub-parenting-servi

The Swan Valley Kids Adventure Club is an after-school program available for children in school years 4 - 6 providing them an opportunity to participate in our awesome outdoor activities during the school term.

Each week, they will participate in different activities that aim to help them overcome fear, develop cognitive skills, enhance teamwork, form new friendships and push them out of their comfort zone!

Activities included in the program are Archery, Flying Fox, Commando Course, and much more!

At the beginning of the program, your child will receive their very own adventurer passport to earn stamps each week.

An action-packed adventure in Term 2!

Plan ahead and book now to avoid disappointment.

Monday Program Excluding Public Holidays

Week 1: Monday May 1st

Week 2: Monday May 8th

Week 3: Monday May 15th

Week 4: Monday May 22nd

Week 5: Monday May 29th

Week 6 (Public Holiday): No Activity

Week 7: Monday June 12th

Week 8: Monday June 19th

Week 9: Monday June 26th

For more information click the link below:

https://www.swanvalleyadventurecentre.org/school-holidays/kids-adventure-club-2-2 .

Service, Courage, Peace, Acceptance

Email: admin@stbrigidsms.wa.edu.au
Website: www.stbrigidsms.wa.edu.au/
Location: 20 Toodyay Road, Middle Swan WA, Australia
Phone: 92501592
Facebook: facebook.com/stbrigidsms
Twitter: @stbrigidsms