The Easter Triduum

In the coming days, the final days of Lent, we immerse ourselves in the Easter story of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  

Let us pray that it will change us and bring us the new life of Christ.

The three days from Thursday evening until Sunday evening are the holiest days in the Christian year. We begin by celebrating the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, on Good Friday we remember Jesus’ passion and death, and on Easter Sunday we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection to new life.  

The Last Supper is a story about friendship and gratitude and at this very first Eucharist, Jesus thanks his disciples for this experience of friendship. Easter, as much as it is about the resurrection story, it is also about enduring, lifelong and life transforming friendships. May the Easter break provide time for all families to grow in friendship and love as they share meals, stories and good times together. 

Cultural Exchange Program

The College’s Service Education Awareness (SEA) Program and Religious Education programs are grounded in our relationship with God and with our neighbours. The Year 5 students are currently involved in a virtual cultural exchange program called ‘HEARTS ABOVE THE SEA’ with a Year 6 class in Kiribati, a small island nation to the north east of Australia. If current projections are correct, Kiribati will be underwater in twenty years due to climate change, one of the principle challenges facing humanity today. Learning about the Kiribati culture is helping the boys in Year 5 to be content with what is in their lives and not with buying and consuming.

It is a frightening statistic that twenty percent of the world’s population consumes resources at a rate that robs the poor nations and future generations of what they need to survive. Through this partnership and connection with the Kiribati children, the Year 5 boys are learning about Kiribati spirituality, global inequality and an ecological conversion, where concern for the protection of our world is part of the educational dialogue in all classes.

The challenge for schools, and families, is to teach our students about sacrifice, about generosity and sharing; to be content with what we have, learning to give, loving and forget about what we think God’s world needs. This has been the central message of the College’s Lenten program over the past 40 days and has been central to the conversations occurring in all Religious Education lessons. It has been a time of self-discipline, generous concern for those in need, and prayerful reflection. The Kiribati cultural exchange program has allowed the young boys at St Augustine’s the opportunity to have a greater appreciation and empathy for the people and countries who are affected by Global Climate change.

Last Wednesday 21 March, as a nation we celebrated Harmony Day, recognising our country’s cultural diversity. It just so happens that this day coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and provided a great opportunity to teach students about inclusiveness, respect and creating a sense of belonging for everyone. On the back of the National Day against Violence and Bullying last Friday, it is imperative that as adults, we model inclusive and respectful behaviour to all members of our wonderfully rich and diverse community. The language we use at home, the way we solve disputes and treat each other, is the example our children model in their relationships.  

The mandatory Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) curriculum from K-10, provides opportunities for students to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required to develop respectful relationships. It also helps students to value diversity, and recognise the importance of inclusivity of both individual and community health and wellbeing.  

Did you know?  

• Over the last 70 years more than seven and a half million migrants have made Australia their home
• Nearly half of Australians were born overseas or have a parent who was
• People from over 200 countries make up our Australian community and over 300 languages are spoken in our homes
• Apart from English the most common languages spoken in Australia are Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Italian, Greek, Tagalog/Filipino, Hindi, Spanish and Punjabi.

Excellent Teachers

There are many new educational pedagogies, however just as important as teaching content and the basics, is the teaching of social skills, team work, problem solving and independence. Finding enough time in the day to do justice to all domains is the skill of an excellent teacher, one who genuinely cares for the wellbeing of every boy in their class and the ones you find at St Augustine’s College.   

NAPLAN Information

The following information was released last week by NESA regarding the upcoming NAPLAN tests.  

The NAPLAN Paper test will occur from the 15 - 17 May. Some schools have been selected to complete the NAPLAN test online, however St Augustine’s College will complete the Paper test from the 15 – 17 May.  

NAPLAN tests the types of skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life, such as reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy. It is important to remember that NAPLAN is not about passing or failing, but about assessing learning progress. At the classroom level, it is one of a number of important tools used by teachers to measure student progress.  

NAPLAN assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students are already learning through the school curriculum. Teachers will ensure that students are familiar with the test formats and will provide appropriate support and guidance. Excessive preparation is not useful and can lead to unnecessary anxiety.  

NAPLAN test days should be treated as just another routine event on the school calendar. The best way you can help your child prepare for NAPLAN is to reassure them that NAPLAN tests are just one part of their school program, and to urge them to simply do the best they can on the day.  

All students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9 are expected to participate in NAPLAN tests. This information allows for additional intervention if necessary to ensure your child progresses at a rate where they can fully participate in all aspects of the curriculum. NAPLAN does not replace, but rather complements assessments run by your child's classroom teacher throughout the year.  

Transport

With limited car spaces and parking, we encourage boys to travel to and from the College by bus. Boys who live close enough may like to meet up and walk to the College, or parents could car pool to reduce traffic congestion in and around the College in the mornings and afternoons. It is essential that all boys cross the road at the designated crossings and where these are not available, ensure they cross safely and not be connected to mobile devices.  

The traffic island at the beginning of Gulliver Street is not a safe crossing area, so boys are requested to take special care when using this road to access the College in the morning and the afternoon. We also remind all parents not to park or queue across driveways to allow all residents access to their homes.  

Thank you for your assistance in maintaining safe travel habits in and around the College.

Terry Walsh
Head of Primary School