Week 7 Term 2 2021

Dear Parents,

Winter has certainly arrived this week, the mornings are colder, wetter and the desire to get out of bed definitely requires greater effort!  However, each morning at the gate I am lucky to see the happy faces of the children coming into school which always adds warmth to my day. 

I want to thank you as parents, for I know the effort that goes into getting the children to school on time in the mornings, ensuring they are in correct uniform and prepared for the day ahead.  By you doing this, it really sets the children up for a successful day of learning. 

Safety around the School

As you might have noticed there have been some changes to East Street over the last week.  The speed limit has been changed to 25KPH for the duration of the building project due to the temporary fencing in front of the school eliminating the footpath.  We ask that you use the footpath opposite the school in East Street and do not allow your children to cross the road unaccompanied.  Our priority is the safety of our students and families. 

Conversations with Your Children

Having meaningful conversations with your child at the end of a long day can often be challenging.  When asking about their day, you often might get a one-worded answer such as “good” or “nothing” before the conversation moves in a different direction.  

Below are great open-ended questions to use to connect with your child, especially at the end of a busy day full of learning. These questions help to open up the dialogue between you and your child whilst also communicating with them that you value the learning journey over a fixed or finite learning outcome; there is no ‘learning finish line’!  Since learning is a life-long endeavour, these questions support the development of resilience, social justice, personal endeavour, hope and purpose:

• How were you kind today?
• What questions did you ask today?
• What is one thing you learned today?
• What was your favourite mistake today?
• How can you make tomorrow great?

For instance, when we ask our children about ‘what questions they asked’ during the day, we are not only communicating that we value our children’s efforts in this area, we are also reminding them of a very important strategy they can use to deepen their understanding, clarify any misconceptions they have and to practice skills of continued inquiry.   

Asking ‘what was your favourite mistake’ communicates that mistake making is an important part of life and learning and that children (and adults) can see their mistakes as opportunities for more learning, not as failures. Embracing ‘mistake making’ encourages children to take more learning risks, which in turn enables greater cognitive growth and development, emotional resilience and subsequently improved self – esteem; confidence that they can learn and will learn and mistakes are not the end of the world!

Perhaps the favourite mistake was not packing their lunch box in their bag at the end of lunch or forgetting to carry a number during a sum. Or perhaps their favourite mistake was talking whilst the teacher was giving instructions (oops, I’ll try not to make that mistake again because I missed important information) or their favourite mistake was a missed opportunity to put up their hand in class because they just weren’t sure.

No matter the mistake, being asked to think about mistakes in general, helps children identify, reflect and discuss this mistake. This reinforces students’ understanding of better ways to learn (metacognition) and provides increased likelihood that children will learn from their mistakes.

Asking ‘how were you kind? or ‘who did you help?’ shows that you value their efforts to make the world a better place, little bit by little bit. Acts of kindness and offering help to others can increase a student’s self-worth and provide them with a sense of connectedness to their community.

WIshing you all a happy fortnight.

Annette Diassinas
ACTING PRINCIPAL

Staff Reflection Day

The whole staff will gather together on Friday 11th June for the staff reflection day which will be led by Annette Diassinas and Jen Callanan.  The day is an opportunity for us as a whole staff to deepen our own faith and to reflect on the 2021 Pillar of love - “Let love guide your life.” (Colossians 3:14).

Our whole staff retreat also coincides with the Feast of the Sacred Heart and the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Both feasts having strong connections with the building of our school charism and Catholic identity. 

The school motto, “Striving to be God’s Heart Here on Earth”, has its foundations in the Heart Spirituality of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart who built IHM alongside the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 70 years ago.

At IHM, we strive to make Heart Spirituality a living presence in our world by upholding our School Pillars of Love, Hope, Justice, Inclusivity and Connectedness.

A Spirituality of the Heart is a way of living – a way of being in the world…a journey to be travelled (with others),…an energy that sustains and moves us, a dance in which we are participating… a way of being in the world, in relationship to self, others and God; a way of coming to rest within ourselves, at our deepest centre.” James Maher msc

Jesus our Lord,
We praise you and the love in your heart.
We honour you, we glorify you;
We are grateful for your help today.
We offer our thanks,
We consecrate and give our hearts to you.
Take them, hold them fast and make them your own forever.
Fill them with your Spirit, your Father's gift to us.
Stay with us throughout our life, Lord Jesus.
Let us follow all the ways you mark for us.
Heart of Christ, may your love be known forever.
Amen.

Family Mass - Sunday 27th June - 9:30am

Please join us on Sunday 27th June at 9:30am at the Sacred Heart Church (252 Port Road, Hindmarsh) to celebrate the IHM Family Mass.

This is an opportunity for us to come together as a whole school community, celebrate mass and meet other members of the Sacred Heart Parish.

We are hoping as many families as possible will be able to attend the Mass.

If you can attend and you or your child are able to read or be part of the Mass processions, please RSVP to the event by email or phone Julie.

Reminder - Winter Warmers Appeal

To support those in our community who are less fortunate and experiencing homelessness, students from IHM are asked to donate Winter Warmers to the Adelaide Day Centre for Homeless Persons.  Items donated can be brand new or in excellent condition.

The SRC’s have placed baskets in the classrooms to collect the following items:

• Beanies
• Gloves
• Blankets
• Sleeping bags
• Scarves
• Socks
• Jumpers
• Jackets

Baskets will be in the classrooms until the end of the Term 2.

Reminder - Pyjama Day on Friday 18th June

The SRCs are holding a Pyjama and Teddy Bear Day on Friday 18th June in Week 8 to raise money for the Deafness Foundation. 

Bring a GOLD COIN DONATION and wear your warmest pyjamas, fluffiest socks and bring along your favourite soft toy/teddy bear.

R/1 Liturgy

The R/1 classes gathered as a community on Wednesday morning to celebrate the beauty and wonder of creation with Fr Lancy.

The students thanked God for the gift of creation through prayer, story and song.

May justice, peace and compassion guide you always.

Nadia Morris
ACTING APRIM

Volunteers play an important role in the education of children and young people in partnership with the staff of Catholic schools and here at IHM.

We highly value our partnerships with you, knowing they are significant in the overall effectiveness of the education and care of all our children.

As part of our extended community and to support our commitment to the protection and care of all children and the safety of all staff, all volunteers are required to hold a valid and current Working With Children Check (WWCC) and to complete an induction session.  This session will cover all the necessary facets of volunteering such as Responding to Abuse and Neglect (RAN).

You are highly encouraged to attend this important induction if you have not as yet completed this induction.  The session will be held on Friday 18^th June 2021 from 9.00 - 10.00am. 

Who should attend:

• Sports coaches
• Parent helpers in the classroom
• Transport helpers
• School Board Members
• P & F Representatives
• Parents accompanying staff on excursions, overnight camps.

Please RSVP your attendance via the School Stream app (Volunteers) or email Julie.  If you are unable to attend, and would like more information please advise Julie so that we can make other arrangements.

At IHM we are introducing “Loose Parts Play” to our recess and lunch time play in Term 3.

Loose parts play is about real-world learning for all children and young people. The process both of introducing loose parts and of playing with them involves collaboration, sharing, thinking, problem-solving and decision-making where the outcome is evident – better play experiences.

We are needing the support of our wonderful families with some items you might be able to donate from your sheds, garages and wardrobes. 

The things we are after include:

• Large Cardboard boxes (the bigger the better ... new dishwasher? fridge freezer?)
• Tarps
• Pieces of fabric such as old blankets, sheets or curtains
• Sticks from pruned trees
• Milk crates
• Plastic boxes
• Dressing up stuff like hats, scarves, dresses
• Old household items like pots and pans, wooden spoons, mixing bowls, telephones, computer keyboards, remote controls,
• Buckets
• Clothes pegs
• Bits of scrap wood
• Rope
• PVC Pipes
• Cable reels
• Cushions
• Any other items you think would be useful

We ask that you use a bit of common sense when donating items as we don’t want anything that is likely to cause injury such as items with sharp edges.

You items can be donated to the Front Office. Thank you for your support.