Week 4 Term 4 2024

Sports Day

Thank you to our staff and community for your support and participation on Sports Day. The students demonstrated team work, cooperation, persistence and a positive attitude.

Congratulations to the teams who all gave their best and represented their houses with pride. We particularly thank our house leaders, Alexandra, Emmanuel, Alice, Tom, Veronica, Ursula, Jacob G, Felix, Kayleigh, Isla H, Sebastian, who have done an exceptional job throughout the year in leading their houses and school events.

Special congratulations to the winning teams, Chevalier (Red) won the Team Performance Trophy and Beovich (Yellow) was awarded the Spirit of the Heart Shield. Special thanks to Astrid-Marie Powell, our PE teacher and to all staff for ensuring it was such a success.

National Diabetes Day Fundraiser - Thursday 14th November

Help us raise money to support research in Type 1 Diabetes.
On Thursday 14th November, students are invited to wear BLUE and there will be lots of fun ways on the day to raise money to go towards this very important research. Thanking you in advance.

Donations can be made:

• online by scanning the QR code OR
• by using the QKR app (National Diabetes Day Fundraiser)

High Potential Student Program 2025

IHM is in the beginning phase of building a program for high potential students to further enrich and extend opportunities for students to explore their strengths.

Our NAPLAN data for 2024 once again reflects a pattern of above average achievement and outperforming local, state and national school averages.

As a school we have engaged Kirsten Maycock,  a system coach from Catholic Education, who is supporting us to implement AGAT testing from Years 2-6 (https://www.acer.org/au/agat), analyse school assessment data and design high quality differentiated classroom learning and extracurricular opportunities for students. This year we commenced with the GATEWays program which aims to cater for children who are in the highly able to gifted range. This approximates the top 10 – 15% of children in the classroom. https://www.gateways.edu.au/programs

Our learning leaders will be attending the upcoming Gifted and Talented Symposium on Thursday 14^th November. You will hear more about this exciting initiative at the commencement of 2025.

Fees 2025

We are pleased to inform our school families that there will not be an increase in school fees for the 2025 school year.

Unfortunately, some costs are beyond our control and are billed separately to recover service costs as outlined in our parent handbook e.g. camps, sporting carnivals etc

It is at the heart of Catholic education that our schools are affordable and accessible to all.

If any family has financial concerns, we ask them to contact our Finance Manager Kristina Neumann to confidentially discuss additional support through fee remissions.

We have so many positive referrals to our school from existing families which we greatly value, therefore in 2025 we will be introducing a $200 referral credit, reduced from your school fees when a new family commences based of your recommendation.

Volunteers Morning Tea

We invite all volunteers in our school community to join us for our final assembly followed by a morning tea in the hall Wednesday 11^th December 9:00 - 10.00am.

Child Safeguarding and Volunteers

At IHM we take the safety of your child seriously and ensure a safe environment where all people on site during the day have been screened and inducted.   Schools are mandated child safe environments with legal, policy and procedural requirements for staff and volunteers.

The South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools (SACCS) requires its schools to implement child safety policies and practices, including child safety education.

All visitors to schools must sign in at the front office after the bell goes. This is important in the case of an emergency and ensuring we have a record of who’s on site and for what purpose. This term we have been trialling a digital sign in which is common in most schools and sites. We ask that all parents/guardians arriving to school after the bell or throughout the day, sign their child in/out through the office and are asked to farewell or wait at the office.

Next year all volunteers to the school will complete the Catholic Education volunteer induction process to ensure we meet our safeguarding requirements. We aim to make this as seamless as possible and continue to have a large number of volunteers parent/guardians and community helpers participate in the rich life of our school. More information can be found in the following document.

__files/d/18179/Engaging_and_Inducting_Volunteers.pdf

Safety Alert from Department for Education and Catholic Education SA

IHM has received a second alert regarding student safety in our local area. These alerts are a result of reports to SAPOL regarding incidents in the local area. The school is not provided specific information in regard to these incidents, but asked to share with local school communities to ensure student safety is prioritised.

Students and families are reminded to be wary of approaches from strangers, especially when they are unaccompanied or travelling to and from school. If they are approached students should not respond and should not accept offers of rides or gifts.

Students should seek the assistance of other nearby adults if they feel unsafe and should report the event to a trusted adult (parent or school staff member) as soon as possible.

SA Police advise that taking out a mobile phone and calling police can deter the offender and they recommend the student making a formal report to their closest police station.

For guidance on what to teach your child about strategies for saying safe, view this link: SAPOL Personal Safety | Safety for Young People

Julie Hancock
PRINCIPAL

Prayer - for all staff who work in a school on World Teacher's Day 2024

Loving God,​
You came among us as a teacher, healer and saviour.​
On this World Teacher’s Day, bless your teachers​
Help them become even more joyful disciples and profound echoes of your wisdom,​
Bless our teachers with the gifts of Your truth, beauty and goodness.​
Bless them with integrity, so that they bring Your words to life.​
Bless them with courage and perseverance to walk the paths You have laid out.​
We pray in the name of Jesus​
who knows all too well the challenges and joys of being a teacher,​
Amen​.
(Dr. Anthony Cuschieri)

At Immaculate Heart of Mary School our staff team work together to ensure excellent outcomes for each student. We see each student as a thriving person, capable learner and a leader for a world God desires. Our staff team ensures that wellbeing is the foundation of learning and all students feel safe, supported and have agency in their learning.

Hats off to all the staff at IHM!

2024-2025 Sacred Heart Parish Sacramental Program
(together with Immaculate Heart of Mary School and St Joseph’s School, Hindmarsh)

We congratulate Maria Isabella, Harley, Artie and Norah for beginning their sacramental journey. Together with the parish and families we have begun the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This sacrament is about making moral choices, conscience (our inner voice), healing and forgiveness. Most of all, knowing God’s unconditional love for us.

Key dates for our sacramental students and their families:

Sunday 10th November - All students will be presented at our 9am Sacred Heart Parish Mass.
Tuesday 19th November - Family Workshop at St Joseph’s Hindmarsh with Kathy Horan. Kathy is the co-author of Becoming Catholic Reconciliation - the book resource we are using. Kathy is an experienced well known leader within Catholic Education in South Australia.
Wednesday 27th November - Sacrament of Reconciliation Celebration at St Joseph’s Hindmarsh Chapel.

ReLAT 2024 - Religious Literacy Assessment - Year 4

Catholic Education SA has developed the Religious Literacy Assessment Tool (ReLAT) to assist with assessment and reporting in Religious Education (RE) at school and sector levels. During Weeks 7 and 8 of Term 3, 2024 (2 September – 13 September) all Catholic schools across South Australia participated in an online assessment of Religious Education for children in Year 4 - knowledge Strands. At IHM we exceeded in the following Strands:

Sacred Texts - Through this knowledge Strand students develop enduring understanding about Christian sacred texts. Students learn about the Bible and how it reveals the Word of God, and about other texts which share the Church’s wisdom and teaching.

Moral Life - Through this Knowledge Strand students develop enduring understanding about moral living. Students learning about using informed conscience to choose good, Christian sources of moral wisdom including Social Teaching and integral ecology to care for the earth.

Masses and Liturgies

Thursday 7^th November - Yr 6 Reflection Day - St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral midday Mass
Monday 11^th November at 10:30am - Remembrance Day Liturgy led by 3/4P- Hall
Friday 6^th December at 6:30pm - Graduation/End of Year Mass - Sacred Heart Parish

St Vinnies Christmas Appeal

As part of our Catholic Social Teachings our mission is to reach out and serve the most vulnerable. Pope Fracis stated ‘All of us have a responsibility to ‘care for the needs’ of others’ (Fratelli Tutti p.79)

This year we will be supporting the St Vinnies Christmas Appeal. We are asking for the following donations:

R/1M, R/1T, 1/2K and 2/3HW - Christmas Puddings/Fruit Cakes

3/4P, 4/5F and 5/6L - Suitable gifts for 10yrs-15yrs of age. Examples include:

• Books/Novels
• Activity Books- eg: puzzles, word finds
• Board Games- eg: Uno
• Sport Equipment-eg: soccer ball
• Stationery - eg: note books, textas, pens
• Activity Kits- jewellery making, slime making
• Gift Vouchers.

We will begin collecting your generous donations from Monday 11th November- Friday 6th December. Donations to be given to your child’s teacher.

We thank you sincerely for your support and generosity.

Sacred Heart Parish

Please find attached the latest Parish Bulletin:

__files/d/18108/Parish_Bulletin_03_Nov_2024.pdf

Department for Education Resource
Practice Guidance for Learners with Additional Needs

The Department has released its latest fact sheets regarding its practice guidelines for learners with additional needs. The new fact sheets can be found on the Department’s website:  Practice guidance for learners with additional needs

• Chronic Pain and learners 
• ​Siblings of children and students with disability
• Cortical or Cerebral vision impairment
• Autism and intellectual disability
• Autism and complex communication needs 
• Cerebral Palsy 

Jhovana Fenu
Assistant Principal-Religious Identity and Mission/Learning Diversity
Ph: (08) 8115 7600
Email: jfenu@ihm.catholic.edu.au

Hello from your P & F committee!

We are looking at a very busy Term 4 to finish up the year at IHM.

The sausage sizzle last term was a great success - we made over $350! Thanks to everyone for helping to make it a big success. The P and F will be helping to fund new outdoor furniture for the school community.

This term we will be running a fundraiser with Kytons Bakery - information will be send through via school stream in the coming weeks. Be sure to check out their Christmas treats and puddings and lamingtons!

Next year is rapidly approaching and the P and F is looking for new co-chairs - meetings are held on the second Thursday of each term. Please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the committee if you have any questions!

Erika and Judith
P & F CO-CHAIRS

 

Everyone is invited to visit our Scholastic Book Fair which is being held next week.

• When:    Monday 11th - Friday 14th November 2024
• Times:   Before school - 8:30 - 9:00am / After school - 2:50 - 3:30pm
• Where:   Library

There are always lots of interesting books to choose from and don’t forget that Christmas is just around the corner.  Books always make great presents!  

Scholastic Book Fair brochures have been distributed to all the children today.

All purchases will benefit the school as we will be able to buy more books for our library. See you all there.

Carmel Johnston
LIBRARY COORDINATOR