Term 4 Week 4 Newsletter 2021
Welcome Mini Fins!
It was wonderful to meet our 2022 Kinders yesterday at our first Mini Fins session. After only a few sessions last year and a late start this year we have finally been able to welcome our enthusiastic group to the school.
Mrs Hunibell, Mrs Hayhoe and their team settled the group quickly and had them playing and interacting with confidence. It is such an important program for introducing the children to ‘big school’ and helping them meet new friends and staff.
It was lovely to meet and welcome our new Mums and Dads at drop off as well.
Mini Fins
School Sign
Thank you to Peter Hill who designed and installed our new welcome sign at the oval entrance.
Tiny Towns Creativity
Our Tiny Towns vision in 2021 was to create a playground space that would inspire imaginative, creative and fun play in an exciting environment available to all students in the school. After one month since construction, staff have been blown away by the success of the play space. Until parents can be on site to see for themselves we will continue to share photos and stories of the wonderful adventure space. As with all new ventures there has been trial and error with modifications needed as well as healthy discussion from students and staff around protecting the environment, tidiness, sharing resources, respecting resources, safe play etc. This is all a part of the learning, growing and developing as individuals which happens every moment of the day at school.
Tiny Town
Student Safety
We continue to improve processes to ensure student safety before and after school. Collecting students from the exit gates has become increasingly dangerous with the increased volume in traffic. We are now directing students to the bus gates where they can be greeted without the danger of exiting traffic.
Kind Regards,
Tim Bleakley
Safety - Helmets
St Finbarr's students are expected to wear a helmet when riding a bike, scooter or skateboard to or from school and when in the community.
A few tips to ensure you and your child are wearing a helmet correctly:
- The helmet should fit comfortably and securely when the straps are fastened
- The straps should not be twisted, nor cover the ears. When done up correctly, the straps should provide a snug fit over the ears and under the chin.
- Choose a bright coloured helmet so other road users can see you.
You know it's time to replace your helmet when:
- It’s been dropped onto a hard surface or involved in a crash or severe fall,
- You see any cracks in the foam, and
- The straps look worn or frayed.
Finnie's Value
We are still focusing on "Loving Like Jesus" as our Finnie's Value this week, but specifically looking at Humility. This focus encourages us to accept ourselves and others without criticism. It also highlights the importance of being happy to serve others.
In our classrooms this week we will be encouraging our students to;
- Learn from your mistakes and ask for help when you need it?
- Be grateful for the many good things in your life?
- Do your best for yourself, without trying to impress others or to get rewards?
Kind Regards,
Carolyn Wade
Love Like Jesus - Humility
Catholic Mission
Just a reminder that tomorrow, our students will be participating in a ‘Kicking Goals’ fundraising event for Catholic Mission. To get into the theme of the day, students can wear their favourite soccer team jersey, socks or team colours, no soccer boots.
Students will try to kick as many goals as they can, rotating through 4 different goals with varying degrees of difficulty.
To show the kids how it is done, the teachers will all be joining in the fun of Kicking Goals too!
Thank you to those who have already used the School Fundraising Page which you find on the link below. Otherwise, students are asked to bring in a gold coin donation tomorrow on a clearly marked envelope with their name and colour house written on the front.
Prizes will be given out for the team that donates the most money overall, as well as, for the most spectacular goals kicked from students in Kindergarten through to Yr 6.
Holy Spirit Parish Update
Both St Finbarr’s Church, Byron Bay and St Kevin's Bangalow will be open from this weekend.
Mass times are:
6:00pm Saturday evenings at St Finbarr’s Church Byron Bay
&
9:30am Sunday mornings at St Kevin’s in Bangalow.
All are welcome.
Thoughts and Feelings
Vicki Biltoft, an Occupational Therapist, ran a special PDH lesson for the students in 2H yesterday which focussed on the connection between thoughts and feelings. The students took part in several activities but the highlight was the opportunity to make a monster from plasticine. All students had to identify a thought that the monster might be having and then create a facial expression to indicate the associated feeling. The modelling skills of the students were put to the test but they rose to the occasion and produced some wonderful work.
The visit closed with the idea that by reframing a negative thought into a positive one, a more positive feeling would be likely to follow. One class member explained this beautifully by starting with the thought "What if I fail?" and linking it to the feeling of fear. By reframing the thought to "I've prepared for this", the feeling changed to confidence.
Mr Nick Haughton
Activities Club
We now have an Activities Club that runs on Mondays and Wednesdays during lunch time. All students are invited to join in to either create arts and crafts or just to hang out in a cooler area, play with Lego, train sets or just grab a book to do some quiet reading.
Over the past two weeks, the students who have attended the activities have created some great pieces organised by Ms Hambly including Pom Pom Flowers and Spider Webs.
Activity Club Creations
Holy Communion
Holy Communion preparation has started for the students who will be receiving their First Holy Communion this Term. The preparation time for First Holy Communion marks another important step in a child’s formation in the Catholic faith.
We ask you all to keep these candidates in your thoughts and prayers.
Kind Regards,
Sonya Piccoli
Leader of Evangelisation
Learning With iPads
Finnie's Fundraiser - GOLF DAY!
The St Finbarr's Golf Day is a wonderful opportunity for parents to come together, enjoy a social game of golf and raise some funds for the school.
Click on the link to purchase your tickets, and if you would like to donate some prizes, please email: catherine@catherinearmstrong.