On 10 February, Education Ministers agreed to introduce a new proficiency standard as part of NAPLAN reporting in 2023. Please find the media release attached.

Four new levels of achievement will replace the previous 10-band structure and the old national minimum standard (NMS), and include a baseline benchmark to identify students who are likely to need additional support.  

If a student reaches the achievement level ‘Strong’, it means they have demonstrated that their literacy or numeracy skills are where they should be at this stage of their schooling.

These important changes mark a reset for NAPLAN that makes better use of the online adaptive tests to deliver better information for parents, carers and teachers.

Our school will utilise NAPLAN data as one of a variety of assessment tools to track student growth and to assess how our school performs in comparison to other schools.

Parent Teacher Meetings (Years 1&2) and 3 Way Conferences (Years 3 - 6) will take places in Week 6, the week commencing Monday 6 March 2023.

You will receive an alert early next week to invite you to book a session with your child's teacher via the Compass App. Please contact the office if you require any assistance in book in.

Families with students in Years 3 - 6 are asked to include their child in the 3 way conversation; child, parents, teacher.

Please note that Kindergarten parents do not require a meeting with their child's teacher as they have already met during the rest days.

As previously advised, St Bede's commenced Spelling Mastery in Years 3 - 6. This program is an intensive spelling program that engages students in a more proactive way using scripts and activities. It is a short 15-20 minutes fast paced session.

Your child may be feeling a sense of uncertainty when answering questions as this program asks for a response from all students simultaneously. As with any new program, there will be an adjustment period as students understand the expectations of this new program.

Please do not hesitate to speak to your child's teacher at the upcoming parent teacher conferences.

Parents often ask for support around how to help their children manage strong emotions. The self-regulation systems in the brain develop across childhood and are complete by about 23-25 years of age. You can promote this development by regularly connecting with your kids, providing routines and modelling your own self-regulation (or recovery - if you get flustered). It starts with parents as supportive coaches/modellers as the following article discusses.

How to model healthy coping skills.

Helping kids learn strategies for handling big emotions.

Painful feelings are unavoidable, but how we respond to them is a choice. And showing children how to cope effectively with uncomfortable emotions is one of the most important ways we can support their wellbeing and development.

Healthy coping skills take many forms, including mindfulness, self-compassion, exercise, deep breathing, and positive self-talk. They help us manage our most intense emotions, and they’re also linked to lower levels of impulsivity.

Children pick up behaviour patterns from adults, so one of the best ways to teach your kids good coping skills is to practise them yourself. This can mean taking space after a tense interaction, practicing paced breathing when the train is running late, or having a daily yoga practice. It can be helpful to narrate your behaviour to your kids as you model (“Okay, that phone call made me feel anxious, so I’m going to do some belly breathing and walk around the block to help calm myself down”). Leading by example is also usually more effective than trying to tell kids what to do.

If you struggle with regulating your emotions (like we all do from time to time), you may worry about your ability to model effectively. Remember that you’re only human, and that all parents make mistakes. Start with practicing one or two skills that feel manageable and add on from there. Taking it slow will help you build confidence and internalize the habits you are working on.

Many parents find it hard to prioritise working on their own coping skills. When you’re balancing competing responsibilities, it can feel like there’s just not enough time in the day. You might even feel like setting aside time for your personal development is selfish. But kids pick up on how we treat ourselves, and they are likely to copy our habits, positive or negative. Sometimes, the best way to care for your child is to show up for yourself, too. You can read the full article here; How to Model Healthy Coping Skills - Child Mind Institute Writer: Rosa Klein-Baer Clinical Expert: Grace Berman, LCSW

If you’d like to talk about any of these tips (or anything else), you can contact me via email Amy.Kennedy@catholiccare.cg.org.au or by phoning through the school.

Amy Kennedy

Student and Family Counsellor