Sydney
1 Dec 2002
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St Cecilia’s children go ‘bush’ for the day
Radical bid for men-only teaching job offers
Crackerjack way to see charity in action
Destruction of human life for profit - research fear
Fr John says ‘thank you’ and ‘goodbye’
Real meaning of Christmas
Perth statue: Archbishop orders inquiry
... deported, then disappeared or dead
Avoid war at all costs: Caritas
Christmas Bowl gets helping hand from a Leunig angel
Govt bows to Church pressure
A walk against war
Persecution: UN should be forced to act
Casting a NET to reach young adults, older kids
Tom Singer, lost in a ‘coward’s war’
Asylum seeker kids allowed to attend Catholic school
Editorial: When aid is misused
Letters: Breadwinners?
Conversation: Terry Underwood, Ambassador, Year of the Outback
Reflections: US bishops pose questions on Iraq
Kids go ‘bush’ at St Cecilia’s to help drought victims
It’s ‘family first’ for SOS (son of Sergio)
Dad had to face racism on field
Retreat helps with the healing
Love of books pays off for coastal school
‘Greedy people’ let the needy go without
Third degree burns
Love of books pays off for coastal school
St Francis Xavier students Chris Pilbeam (left), Sarah Laverty, Belinda Ridge and Shaun Cumming with their assistant principal, Mrs Mary Walsh, at Government House
By Damir Govorcin
“Our students love to read,” says Sr Margaret Bannon, principal of St Francis Xavier primary school in the northern rivers coastal town of Woolgoolga.
“And the Premier’s Reading Challenge has heightened their love for literature.”
St Francis Xavier was one of 505 schools across NSW that took part in the first annual Premier’s Reading Challenge.
The Premier, Bob Carr, issued a challenge in September last year to all school students in Years 5 to 8 to read 20 books each within a 12-month period.
At least 15 of the books were to be from an official list of more than 400 books; five could be of a student’s own choosing.
To be eligible for the awards, students had to have their reading records signed by a parent or carer and the co-ordinating teacher at their school.
All successful students received awards signed by the Premier.
Sr Margaret introduced the DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) program at St Francis Xavier and it proved to be a resounding success.
“For 20 minutes each day the whole school drops what they are doing and reads,” she says.
“Pipe music is played throughout the school, which creates a relaxing atmosphere.
“The program encourages the students to read and they have embraced the concept.”
All students in Years 5 and 6 at St Francis Xavier accepted the challenge. And all reached their goal.
Four of them - Chris Pilbeam, Sarah Laverty, Shaun Cumming and Belinda Ridge - made the journey to Sydney with the school’s assistant principal and librarian, Mrs Mary Walsh, to attend the awards presentation at Government House.
Sarah says she has always enjoyed reading, “but the Premier’s Reading Challenge has made me more aware of other authors and I have broadened my horizons”.
Chris says he “never really read much”. But the challenge “helped me read more and now I enjoy it”, he says.
The Premier said some students were so motivated by the challenge that they completed their 20 books in just two months.
“The results show that students are enjoying reading,” he said.
“Encouraging youngsters to develop a love of books is one of the best investments in their future that we can make.
“Students who read well perform better across all subjects - it’s that simple.”
St Francis Xavier primary and Mt St Joseph girls’ high school, Milperra, received awards as the most outstanding Catholic schools in the state.
They were among 12 schools to receive cash prizes ranging from $500 to $1500.
The 10 most popular books on the 2001-02 reading list were Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (JK Rowling), Matilda and The BFG (Roald Dahl), The Gizmo (Paul Jennings), Charlotte’s Web (EB White), Blabbermouth and Misery Guts (Morris Gleitzman), The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (CS Lewis), Fox (Margaret Wild) and The Hobbit (JRR Tolkien).
The second Premier’s Reading Challenge began on September 1. Students have until August 28, 2003, to read their 20 books.
Students who win awards for four consecutive years will receive gold certificates.