Approaching Other Children
Parents are reminded that it is never appropriate to approach other children to confront them about issues between your child and the other student. Imagine how you would feel if another parent or carer approached your child and spoke to them. It is inevitable that there are social conflicts, misunderstandings, and unkind actions. At St Benedict’s we encourage students to develop skills that will assist them to deal with social situations, with teachers offering assistance and support. If you are concerned about how your child is coping socially please contact your child’s teacher.

Swimming Carnival Thanks
What a fantastic day we had last Thursday at our swimming carnival! The weather was perfect and the day ran like clockwork. It was so lovely to see the way the students supported and cheered each other on throughout the day. Thank you to the parents who helped on the day and those parents who came along to support the students. Thank you to all staff for their work on the day and in the lead up to the carnival. A particular mention to Mrs Amanda Basedow who was responsible for the organisation of the day and for ensuring it ran smoothly.

Swimming Assembly
Students will receive ribbons at next week’s Assembly, Friday 13^th March. Ribbons will be given for those who placed 1^st to 4^th in the 50m, 100m and 200m events. Selections for the St Benedict’s team at the South Weston PSSA carnival will be announced shortly and are based on qualifying times and not place ribbons received.

Three Way Conferences Thanks
I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all the students, parents and teachers for making the Three Way Conferences such a success this week. Thank you to those parents and carers who embraced the online booking form. Effective communication with parents, especially in regard to children’s progress at school, is a high priority at St Benedict’s. At any time during the year parents are encouraged to request a meeting with class teachers to discuss their child’s progress. Teachers ensure that parents remain informed about any issues that arise in the school context. We believe that it is much better to address concerns, celebrate successes and for parents to feel reassured and confident in what is happening in the classroom when there are open channels of communication between home and school.

Our planned forms of communication this year include:

• Class program overviews sent home each term.
• Interim Reports sent home.
• Three Way Conferences offered at the start of the year.
• Semester Reports provided at the end of each semester.
• Learning Celebrations on a termly basis.
• Optional Parent-Teacher Interviews offered on a termly basis.
• General news through our emailed weekly School Newsletter, the school website, our School Calendar and our SZapp app.

Please do not hesitate to contact teachers as the need arises either in person or via email. All parents are encouraged to download the SZapp app, as messages and notes are often communicated this way.

Recess and Lunch
We have noticed that many of our students prefer to eat earlier in the day than later. We will ensure that fruit break occurs at the beginning of each day and that at Recess students are encouraged to eat well. Parents are encouraged to consider ensuring that their child has substantial food for Recess and that the children understand that they can eat as much as they need earlier in the day, saving smaller portions for lunch time if they wish.

 Parents & Friends Committee
As mentioned in last week’s newsletter we are seeking a person for the position of P&F Treasurer and would love someone to volunteer for that position for the 2020 school year. Every Parents and Friends Committee meeting is open to all parents to attend. They are held on the Tuesday of Weeks 3 and 7 each term. Reminders will be through the Newsletter, Schoolzine app and on the School Calendar on the website. Children are most welcome to attend if childcare is a problem.