Dear Families, 

As we near the final third of the school year I wish to emphasise the importance of fostering respectful communication between our students and the adults they interact with. Effective communication is not just about the words we use, but also the tone, attitude, and empathy that we bring to our conversations. 

At SCA, we are committed to creating a safe and nurturing environment where every child feels valued and supported. A crucial aspect of this environment is the way our students interact with teachers, staff, parents, and other adults in their lives. By teaching our children to communicate respectfully, we are preparing them to be responsible and empathetic individuals in both their academic and personal lives. 

To reinforce this principle, we will be launching a renewed push to ensure that our students speak to adults respectfully at all times. Here are some key points of focus for this initiative: 

1. Role Modelling: Children often learn by observing the behaviour of adults. Let us all lead by example, demonstrating respect in our interactions with one another, both inside and outside the school premises. 
2. Conscious Language: Encourage our children to choose their words carefully and avoid using hurtful or disrespectful language. Help them understand that words have power and can impact the feelings of others. 
3. Active Listening: Teach our children the importance of attentive listening when engaging in conversations with adults. This shows respect and a willingness to understand others' perspectives. 
4. Empathy and Understanding: Remind our children to put themselves in others' shoes before responding. Encourage them to consider how their words might affect someone else's feelings. 
5. Calm and Polite Tone: Emphasise the significance of using a calm and polite tone when speaking to adults. A respectful tone goes a long way in maintaining positive relationships. 
6. Acknowledging Differences: Help our children recognise that everyone has different viewpoints and experiences. Encourage them to engage in respectful dialogue even when disagreements arise. 
7. Positive Reinforcement: When we notice our children engaging in respectful communication, acknowledge and praise their efforts. Positive reinforcement will motivate them to continue this behaviour. 
8. Open Communication: If our children encounter challenges in communicating respectfully, encourage them to share their experiences with you. We can work together to find solutions and offer guidance.  
9. Schoolwide Focus: We will be incorporating discussions into our classrooms that focus on effective communication, respect, and empathy. Your encouragement at home will greatly complement these efforts. 

By collaboratively instilling these values in our students, we aim to create a culture of respect, understanding, and effective communication within our school community. Your support and partnership are invaluable in this endeavour. 

Thank you for entrusting us with your child's education and growth. Together, we can help our students develop the essential life skills they need to succeed not only academically but also as compassionate and respectful individuals. 

Book Week 

I am sure I am not the only one who looks forward to this week each year. Book Week brings a sense of pride and fulfillment. It's a reminder that education is not just about academic achievement but also about nurturing a holistic love for learning. The dedication of our teachers and staff, led by Mrs Katherine Austin, in organising and executing these activities is truly commendable. When I see the smiles on the faces of our students as they immerse themselves in the world of books, I know that the joys of Book Week will continue to be cherished for years to come. 

Tuggeranong Track and Field Carnival 

Congratulations to all the participants who took part in the recent Tuggeranong Region Track and Field Carnival. Your dedication, hard work, and outstanding performances have brought pride and honour to St Clare of Assisi. 

It's wonderful to witness our students competing with such enthusiasm and determination, pushing their limits and striving for excellence in various track and field events. I also express my gratitude to Mr Peter Olney and Mr Matt Mitchell who supervised and supported our students on the day. 

As we celebrate these achievements, we remember that success comes not just from winning ribbons, but from the personal growth, teamwork, and valuable life lessons that participation in sports offers. 

It was once said… 

“Failure is a great teacher, and I think when you make mistakes and you recover from them and you treat them as valuable learning experiences, then you've got something to share.” – Steve Harvey 

Blessings to you and your family. 

Matt Egan-Richards 

Principal 

matthewer@cg.catholic.edu.au  

Beyond the Curriculum

Manager Director, Shawn Van der Linden from Altun Counselling and Consulting facilitated a 2-hour professional development for staff on Restorative Relationships and Conflict Resolution.

We reviewed the Science of Learning and discussed the fact that we teach our students;
how to read and write,
how to swim,
how to solve an equation,
how to construct an essay or poem.
Moving forward, we will continue to have a considered and specific emphasis on
how to behave in different situations,
how to be honest,
how to get along with others,
how to be considerate and thoughtful,
how to deal appropriately with strong emotions,
how to be a team player and
how to be a good friend.

Jesus continues to be the greatest teacher and the light for all of us. We know that current research affirms that these skills are just as important to every single child and that our students do not learn these skills by or through osmosis.

Our expectations at SCA are high! Everyday our teachers and every adult at school, model and teach this behaviour. It can be stated that Relationships are the Technology of Teaching. As a staff we discussed a broader approach to effective relationship management amongst all of our key stakeholders in our school community.

Our top key takeaways are:

1. Every adult in a school is a teacher. We are all always teaching, and not just ‘the curriculum’.
2. Neuroscience 101 - Every interaction we have with a young person changes their brain.
3. We are teaching self-regulation and the ‘how to’. We are their pre-frontal cortex as theirs develops!
4. Student development is our focus as adults in a school. Behavioural and cognitive development go together like bacon and eggs!

Moving forward, and building upon this, in Term 4 we will begin our journey as part of the Resilience Project. The Resilience Project delivers emotionally engaging programs to schools, providing practical, evidence-based mental health strategies to build resilience, develop positive relationships and happiness. We will work closely with Hugh van Cuylenburg the Founding Director/ Facilitator. I am sure many of you would have already listened to The Imperfects podcast.

Our SCA Staff are working together to ensure we continue to be a ‘faith filled Catholic learning community of hope, joy and wonder where all are welcome and inspired to grow, in every aspect, to their potential.’

This weekend’s gospel comes from the gospel of Matthew, 16:13-20, where the eternal question is asked of the disciples: who do you say I am? It is Peter who responds with ‘You are the Christ…the Son of the living God.’ Peter showed his great faith and trust in Christ, at times a difficult feat. This great faith and desire to develop his own relationship with God is mirrored in our Year 5 students this week, as they head to our church to participate in their Retreat Day for First Eucharist. We are grateful to our parish sacramental coordinator Anne Gowen for her coordination of this day. 

First Eucharist

28 of our students will make their First Eucharist over the first three weekends in September. We congratulate these students on this important step in their faith journey. 

Have a fabulous week

Rachel Kennedy

Religious Education Coordinator

Early next term we will implement the SCA ‘Seasons for Growth’ program. Season for Growth Companions facilitate sessions with small group of students who are dealing with some aspect of change in their lives. This could include separation, loss or grief. The sessions do not provide counselling or therapy.
Instead, they aim to: 

• support young people to understand and manage the grief that is experienced because of change, the loss of a parent or significant other through death, separation or divorce.
• assist in normalising the emotions associated with the loss
• encourage the expression of thoughts and emotions
• educate the students about the grief process
• develop a peer support network
• help restore self-confidence and self-esteem
• draw on extensive research in developing a sound educative response to loss and grief. 

There are three stages to suit the developmental needs of students.
The Good Grief Organisation recommends: 

• children should only complete the program once in each of the three stages 
• the program is for students in Years 1-6 
• the young person completes the program six to twelve months after the loss, as they are in a better position to cope with the program 

The program is strictly confidential and implemented with discretion and sensitivity. Your child may be invited to participate in the program again. 

If you believe that the Season for Growth is a program that your child or children would benefit from, please fill in the nomination form below or contact Mrs Snowball. 

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Seasons for Growth Nomination Form 2023

I would like to nominate our child/ren for the Seasons for Growth program for 2023.

Child/ren’s names:

1. _____________________________ Class: ______________

Reason for nomination:

___________________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________ Class: ______________

Reason for nomination:

___________________________________________________________________

Parents/Carers signature:

__________________________________________________

Congratulations to the children who will be awarded white cards at the 8.45 am Friday Morning Assembly

Friday 1st September at 8am in School Hall

To assist us with catering please RSVP if you can join us.

Today on Compass  the Father's Day Breakfast was opened for all families to RSVP. Logon to Compass (If using your phone please select Open in Browser which is under More - the three lines) you will see:

• Select Click here to proceed.

• Select Father's Day Breakfast 2023

• Select number adults attending.
• Select number children attending.
• Select Save.
• See you there!

Congratulations to Kinder Red on completing the Chief Minister's Reading Challenge.  The children were the first class to bring back the most completed challenges.  As a reward, Kinder Red had hot chips for lunch!!

Congratulations to all the children from SCA who competed at the Tuggeranong Region Athletics Carnival.  You represented SCA admirably and you should be very proud of your athletic achievements. Well done everyone.

A very big congratulations to Chloe P (6B). Chloe broke two regional records in the 200m and 800m. She was just 0.1 sec off breaking the 100m record too. Well done Chloe!!!

Speckles – Aubrey 

Smiggles – April and Nikki 

Squiggles – Tahlia 

Swifts – Indi 

Skittles – Maddy 

Sparkles – Scarlet

Smurfs – Lilly

Sunshines – the whole team 

Stars – Mia 

Sparkles Match Report

Sparkles played another great game this Saturday, reaching their highest number of goals scored this season, with everyone showing great progress in their technique and strategies. We are heading into our last few games together after 5 great years of SCA netball and we are all so proud of how the girls have grown their netball skills, with plenty of friendship and fun along the way. Well done Sparkles!!