Dear Families,

I hope everyone got to enjoy some of the lovely sunshine Melbourne showed us over the weekend!  I can't believe we are already into Week 7 - how fast is this term going? 

Today we welcome two new students in Year 4 - Jessie and Sloane Zalcman - we are so excited to have you both join the St Paul's Community!

Book Week Parade

On Friday, the 23rd of August, the whole school came together dressed up as their favourite book characters. This year the book week theme was, ‘Reading Is Magical’ and there sure were a lot of magical costumes. 

The Year 6 students were in charge of hosting the book week parade and ushering the year levels out to their seats. In the amphitheatre, everyone paraded around to show off their costumes to the rest of the school, and the judges. 

The day was filled with joy and excitement! A special thank you to the parents for helping their children create their costumes. They couldn't have done it without you! 

- Jessie Monaghan & Cassie Robb (Year 6 Learning Team)

Congratulations to the winners of the Book Parade!

Prep - Christian and Alex 

Year 1 - Nora and Santo 

Year 2 - Matthew Ko and Jack Logan 

Year 3 - Josh, Ethan and Max; Milly and Violet 

Year 4 - Ahana and Evie, Eva and James 

Year 5 - Noah Reynolds and Finlay

Year 6 - Asher and Max

Student Awards

Upcoming Events 

Thursday 29 August Father's Day Stall

Friday 30 August Father's Day Breakfast

Monday 2 September Whole School Assembly 3pm

Monday 9 September - School Closure Day

Monday 16 Septmeber Whole School Assembly 3pm

2024 School Closure Days

Monday 4 November - School Closure Day

Tuesday 5 November - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday

Friday 29 November - School Closure Day

Best wishes to everyone for a fantastic Father's Day celebration coming up next weekend.

Kind regards,

Freda

Bullying No Way Week at St Paul's

Last week, our school community came together for Bullying No Way! Week, an initiative focused on kindness, inclusivity and celebrating our differences. Throughout the week, students engaged in various activities aimed at fostering a safe and respectful environment for everyone.

Students from Prep to Year 2, delved into the story of Stanley Paste. This touching tale helped them understand the importance of being kind to others, especially when they are different from us. The children also created a beautiful paper chain, each link representing a way to be a good friend. It was a wonderful way to visually showcase their commitment to kindness.

Students in Years 3 to 6 participated in discussions about stereotypes and engaged in games designed to highlight the value of diversity and teamwork. These activities were important in helping our older students reflect on their own actions and understand the power of inclusivity.

Across all year levels, our students learned about the importance of seeking help if they ever feel sad or left out. They have been working hard to make St Paul’s a place where everyone feels safe and respected, reinforcing our shared commitment to a bully-free environment.

We are incredibly proud of our students for their active participation and enthusiasm throughout Bullying No Way! Week. A special thank you to everyone who contributed to our St Paul’s pledge, a lasting reminder of our promise to be kind to one another.

Kassy Wira

Student Wellbeing Leader

The Social Justice Team this week has packed the Rough Sleeper Packs for the homeless. Woolies kindly donated 300 bags and spoons. In total the St Paul’s community packed 131 bags. We would like to thank you all for the donations. We are so grateful for your help. All the extra food and drinks that didn’t fit into the packs were donated as well.  Aldo, from Vinnies, came with his van on Friday afternoon to collect all our donations. He was very thankful for the wonderful support of the St Paul’s community. Thank You.

• From Lexi, Asher and the Social Justice team

https://takethemameal.com/ZJNV1061

Father's day ticket sales -  https://www.trybooking.com/COTRS

Father's day sign-up roster - volunteersignup.org/M8LY3

Return It Program

As mentioned in the previous newsletter we have begun our Return It Program at St Paul's. Last week each class was introduced to the ‘Purple Bin’ where students can dispose their cans, plastic bottles and juice boxes which they would commonly find in their lunch box boxes or at the school canteen. The Year 1 students have been doing it for the last couple of week and with great success have raised $10. A big thank you also for the PNF event as well, after the Trivia night event some bottles were returned and added a total of $5.70. 

If families have bottles or cans that they would like to return themselves from home, they have the option to return their items and enter the school's Zone Code 2000013299 to allocate the funds to St Paul’s. Below are some images shown of how this can be done. 

Stephanie Allen

SRC Semester 2 News

We are very excited to announce the students selected as Semester Two’s SRC representatives. We extend our gratitude to the Semester One SRC Reps for their contributions, including helping with Harmony Day, designing the new senior playground, introducing the Student Voice Thinking Chart, Behaviour Purpose Statement, School Expectations and supporting the Friendology program.

SRC stands for Student Representative Council. The purpose of having SRC representatives within our school is to provide students with a platform to voice their opinions, concerns, and ideas. At St Paul’s, student voice is important to us, as it helps develop students’ leadership skills, teamwork and a sense of responsibility towards their school community.

This semester, students will participate in regular SRC meetings with the Student Wellbeing Leader and be involved in planning and organising whole-school events. The focus this semester will include R U OK? Day, creating a child-friendly version of the Child Safety Standards and ensuring student voice is heard across the school using the new Student Voice Thinking Chart.

Our SRC students have received their certificates and badges at assembly and we look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have on our school community.

Kassy Wira

Student Wellbeing Leader

On Wednesday, the 14th of August, the Community Group visited our local kindergarten on Higgins Rd. We had lots of fun singing and dancing with the little ones. This experience gave us the opportunity to interact with younger children and make connections with the community.

We enjoyed playing Duck Duck Goose, painting, hide and seek, and using their facilities. Some members of the Community Group had attended this kindergarten a couple of years back, so we were all really excited to see the changes and the new teachers.

We are so excited to go back on Thursday this week. 

Sincerely,
Lara and Stef

Last week I attended the annual EduTECH congress at the MCOC. - Australia’s largest conference and exhibition for educators and EdTech providers.

This is a global two-day conference with over 350 speakers that covers the latest trends, market disruptors, and technologies shaping the education industry.

There were 1000s of people in attendance, from all over the world.

Artificial Intelligence was on everyone’s lips.

One of the highlights for me was hearing Sal Khan speak in person. (read more below)

It was 2 full days of involvement - I listened to educational insights, networked with lots of people, visited many stalls in the Expo Hall and got many ‘show bags’ of free goodies.

The aftermath of this conference is always full on, as all the people I networked with send follow up information.

Below is something all parents should register for.

NEWS
Parents, are you curious about AI and its impact on your child's life? Concerned about the risks of deepfakes and online safety? Join this must-attend webinar to explore the world of Generative AI (GenAI)!

Learn how GenAI is woven into your child's digital experiences and understand its role in potential risks like image-based abuse. Discover strategies to protect your child and gain valuable tips for starting conversations about responsible GenAI use.

This free online event is perfect for parents of children of all ages who want to stay informed about AI's influence on how kids live, learn, and play online.

7.30pm AEST 10th September 2024. Don’t miss out on this opportunity for essential insights and resources. Register now at bit.ly/AIDEEPFAKES to safeguard your child's future in the digital world!

#AIWebinar #OnlineSafety #GenAI #ParentingTips #CyberSafetyProject

See PDF attached

Sal Khan, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Khan Academy

As Founder and CEO of the nonprofit Khan Academy, Salman seeks to remove the barriers to education that leave over 600 million children lacking basic math and reading skills. His free, world-class curriculum—available to anyone, anywhere has made a massive impact, with the academy’s videos reaching over a billion views. Now, Sal is using the power of AI to make education even more accessible to students around the world. With the introduction of the revolutionary Khanmigo, an AI-powered teaching student, every student now has a personal tutor. In talks, Sal shares how we can revolutionize education with technology, open interaction, and a personalized approach to learning.

About Khan Academy

Brave new words: How AI will revolutionize education

After the explosion of AI, teachers and parents around the world worried that it would completely undermine education as we know it. But Sal Khan, founder of the non-profit Khan Academy, says that doesn’t have to be the case. “We’re at the cusp of using AI for the biggest positive transformation that education has ever seen,” says Sal.