Our Lady of Grace Newsletter No Images? Click here Dear Lord, TERM 4 WEEK 1 OCTOBER 10, 2018 PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGEWelcome Back The children tell me they had a very enjoyable holiday break but it is clear that they have settled back into school and their social circles quickly and easily. An especial welcome to our new families D’Agostino (Emma 5B), and Evans/Paterson (Matilda 4B, Jett 2G and Sterling PPB). It is great to have you join our community. On several levels, we are now into the home stretch, so to speak. · Just a single term left before our Year Six students complete their primary school education; · Less than that before the extensions to the hall are complete to the point where we will be able to conduct the Graduation Dance in it; · This will Ms Mulcahy’s last term of teaching and managing one of the school’s most valuable and valued resources – our library and teaching resources collection. · Not long before decisions need to be made regarding end-of-year awardees; teachers will start working on Semester Two reports; and the push begins to create Christmas hampers for St Vinnie’s and Welcome Packs for Clontarf. Events · Year 5 and 6 dance lessons began this Tuesday afternoon and will continue through the term. · Swimming lessons for Years One to Three commence this week and run through to the end of next week. · Our ARTS Tournament of Minds team departs for the International Finals in Darwin this Thursday. We wish them luck and that it will be a marvellous experience. · Early Childhood Education Open Day next Monday morning. All welcome!! It will be an exciting term! Building Works We should be moving back into the newly refurbished Administration building soon. It is looking good! I know I will miss our current, open-plan office with its wonderful view across most parts of the southern play areas and Building 3. Staff · Mrs Harmer (5G teacher) and Mrs Priore (4B Education Assistant) are on long service leave for this term. · Miss Trinder and Miss Ottolini have returned from their LSL overseas trips. · We welcome Miss Nicole Moustakos, a student from Edith Cowan, who will be spending two weeks in 4B. CENTENARY OF ARMISTICE The service will commence at the 11th hour, in recognition of the time when the guns fell silent on the Western Front, 100 years ago. Prior to the service, North Beach RSL Members will complete a walk from the Fremantle Wharfs, symbolizing the World War 1 diggers returning home from the War to end all Wars. Guests should plan to be at the Reserve by 10:45. Following the formal service, plaques will be unveiled in recognition of the Centenary and our members who have passed away. A Community Sausage Sizzle will be provided by the local Lions Club on completion.
Your child's social skills in kindergarten are more important than their academics Parents of young children tend to worry a lot about whether or not their kids are making adequate gains as they launch into their academic careers. "Can Johnny read the list of 100 high-frequency words?" "Does Betty know how to count to 500?" "Is Tom doing quantum physics yet?" While early education creates an important foundation for academic skills, many parents would be surprised to know that social skills are actually far more predictive of outcomes into adulthood than early academics. For example, a study published in 2015 showed that even while controlling for family demographics and early academic ability, the social skills observed in kindergarten showed significant correlation with well-being at age 25. That's a lot of staying power! Regardless of how advanced of a reader they were or how much money their parents made, kindergarteners who demonstrated social competence were more likely to graduate from high school, go to college, get a job, and stay out of jail than those who showed a lower level of social competence. So while many parents and schools may be feeling the pressure to cut back on play and social interaction in order to get more "hard skill" instruction time in, it's actually those "soft skills" that are most predictive of long-term success. Here are five important social competencies you can foster in your child. 1. How to play well with others Play is a powerful catalyst for development in the early years. By playing with others, children learn to negotiate, problem solve, take turns, share and experiment. You can help your child build these skills by making time for free play with other children. While dance class, soccer practice and choreographed play dates may have their own value, children need plenty of time engaging in unstructured play with other children, where they may be supervised—but not instructed—by the adults around them. 2. How to problem-solve It is tempting to swoop in at the first disgruntled squawk and make everything right again. We confiscate the object of the argument, set timers, or send children to play in different areas. We're good at problem-solving because we get SO MUCH practice as parents! And while some of this may be necessary for survival, our kids need some of that practice too. So the next time your child has a problem, invite them to take part in that problem-solving process. Ask your child to describe what's going on, brainstorm solutions and try one out. You're still an active player, supporting your child through the process, but rather than doing all the solving yourself, let your child own the problem by asking, "What do you think you could do about that?" Teaching a child to be a problem solver also means that we teach them how to fail and try again, which is another critical "soft skill." When we ask children how their solution is working out, we give them an opportunity to evaluate their experience and make improvements when necessary. We're teaching them that mistakes help us learn and move forward. 3. How to label and recognize feelings Children who are perceptive to the emotions around them are also better able to get along well with others. You can foster this skill by calling attention to emotional cues and naming emotions. You can do this not only in your home ("I'm looking at your brother's face right now, and I don't think he's having fun." "You looked so happy when you won, your smile was like a laser beam!") but by also talking about the emotions in stories as well. ("How do you think he felt when that happened?") Storybooks are FULL of conflict and emotion—it's often what drives the plot. These conversations about observed emotions are often easier because your child isn't tied up in the turbulent emotions themselves. From this comfortable vantage point, they're able to be more thoughtful about the emotions on the page and then apply their understanding in real life. Another thing to keep in mind is that research has shown that excessive screen use may interfere with a child's ability to recognize emotions in others. So make sure that your kids get plenty of time playing and interacting face to face with other humans, rather than with pixels and lights on a screen. 4. How to be helpful Being helpful to others requires children to look beyond themselves and recognize the needs of others. By noticing and complimenting your child when you notice helpful behaviors, you encourage them to continue. Give your child simple opportunities to help within your family—putting away groceries, getting the baby's fresh diaper ready, or helping a sibling to get dressed—and then be generous with your gratitude afterward. Point out the helpers around you and show gratitude together to instill a value of service. This may be as simple as thanking the bagger at the grocery store or taking cookies to the fire station. It can also take a fanciful twist. For my ownsuperhero-obsessed boys, I found that equating heroes to helpers made them feel like Batman just by helping with simple tasks around our home. 5. How to control their impulses Impulse control is a part of the executive functions directed by the prefrontal cortex of the brain. This area doesn't completely develop until well into early adulthood, but some of the most rapid development happens in the early childhood years. That's why children need opportunities to practice this growing skill. That may look like the infamous marshmallow study, where a child must delay gratification and wait before consuming a treat, but it can also look like play time! Movement games that require a child to stop and go like Red Light/Green Light, Dance and Freeze, and Simon Says give kids practice quickly shifting gears and controlling their impulses to move. Pretend play is also a great way to build these skills. By taking on a new character and an imaginative storyline, children have to plan before acting, take turns and make rules to follow. They also practice thinking outside of their own perspective and act as they think another would, rather than simply following their own impulses. Our fast-paced society may give you the impression that your child needs to learn more academic skills—and sooner than ever before. However, the reality is that the "soft" social skills they gain in early childhood—through the slow, simple processes of playing and interacting, engaging with their families, and paying attention to the world around them—will serve them much better and for much longer. God bless Canteen Specials for Term 4 Masters Spearmint Milk - $2 Canteen will be closed this Friday due to Subway Meal Deal. Sports Carnival - Friday 12th October Congratulations to the students who received Merit Awards at last week's assembly. Library Roster 2019 PLACEMENTS: Please let the office know as soon as possible if your child is not returning to OLG in 2019. This help us with planning. Many thanks to those who have let us know that they are moving. Better Buddies Spiritual Ministry - 5 cent line Early Childhood Learning - Open Morning Rhyme Time LAP - EXPRESSION OF INTEREST You might ask: What is LAP? It focuses on the wellbeing, emotional and social needs of students through the powerful and positive contribution of trained mentors. All LAP volunteers must complete training to participate in the program. They must have a valid Working with Children Card, follow the CEWA Code of Conduct and adhere to the requirements of Confidentiality. We are fortunate to have many volunteers at our school that are happy to commit to supporting children that would benefit from one to one time for half an hour each week. This time may be spent setting goals that will then be worked on to aim for successful learning in the classroom, it may involve the child pursuing a hobby, they may participate in confidence building activities, there are many possibilities on how the time is used. It does not involve tutoring or extra time for completion of school work. Potentially LAP:
Please contact Nerida Hince via the email below if you think your child would benefit from participating in LAP in 2018. Participation is voluntary, and the sessions may be ongoing, long term or short-term support/help. Dear Parents & Friends, URSTRONG’s Language of Friendship workshop for parents and students from Years 3 to 6 will take place on Saturday the 20th of October. Please see full details in the poster below. This past year, our entire faculty has been focusing on social-emotional learning programs, implementing tools and strategies to support our efforts in creating a safe and caring school. We believe that empowering our students with these skills will create a school community where children are better able to manage their relationships in a safe and respectful environment. The Art Gallery of Western AustraliaSIDNEY NOLAN'SNED KELLY SERIES 11 August – 12 November 2018 FREE SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME FIRST RECONCILIATION - WEDNESDAY, 17TH OCTOBER @ 6 PM Could all families arrive 10 to 15 mins before 6 pm. Families can sit anywhere in the church. Children will need to collect their Reconciliation Pin and How to Make my First Reconciliation Card on arrival. Could parents who are going to help out please see me when you arrive. The Ceremony should last an hour. Certificates can be collected from the tables at the back of the church on your way out. Parish Special Christmas Celebration 18th December 6pm Calling all enthusiastic Carolers A perfect opportunity for us all to come together to celebrate a special time in our calendar. We’re planning a wonderful evening of carols and need your voice! (smiles and enthusiasm also graciously accepted…) Please come down and join our choir. First practice is on Wednesday 31st of October 7pm in the Church. All ages and all abilities. Any questions email Stephen stephen.lee@sglsystems.com. I can promise it will be fun! We acknowledge the original custodians of this land, the Nyungar people, and show our respect for their ancestors and traditions. Our Lady of Grace School
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