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Dear Parents and Carers
It’s hard to believe that we are already at the end of Week 3. I am not sure about you, but I feel the weeks seem to pass by very quickly, especially with children’s sport on the weekend!
Today we celebrate the Feast of St Mary MacKillop of the Cross, Australia’s first saint and an extraordinary woman whose legacy continues to inspire us today. At the heart of her life was a faith, a compassionate spirit, and an unshakable commitment to education and helping those in need.
Mary MacKillop believed in the power of education to change lives. In 1866, together with Fr Julian Tenison Woods, she co-founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart and opened her first school in Penola, South Australia. Her mission was clear: to provide a Catholic education to children in rural and disadvantaged communities, especially those who might otherwise be forgotten. At a time when access to education was limited for many, particularly the poor, Mary worked tirelessly to build schools, train teachers, and travel across Australia to reach isolated communities. Her dedication laid the foundation for the rich network of Catholic schools we have in Australia today.
At St Mary’s, we honour Mary MacKillop’s legacy by striving to live her values: faith, compassion, resilience, and a commitment to justice and inclusion. Her story reminds us of the importance of kindness, service, and believing in the potential of every child.
May we continue to follow in her footsteps and, like Mary, “never see a need without doing something about it.”
How We Teach Mathematics at St Mary’s
At St Mary’s, we are committed to providing every student with the best possible foundation in Mathematics. We recognise that a strong understanding of mathematical concepts supports problem-solving, critical thinking, and confidence across all areas of learning.
Mathematics at St Mary’s is taught using a low variance curriculum developed by Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn. A low variance approach means that all students receive consistent, high-quality teaching of key concepts in a clear and structured way across all classes and year levels. This ensures that no matter which classroom your child is in, the essential building blocks of mathematics are being taught in the same, effective way.
Our approach is grounded in explicit instruction—a method that is both structured and systematic. As described by educational researchers Archer and Hughes (2011), explicit instruction is “an unambiguous and direct approach to teaching that includes both instructional design and delivery procedures.” In practice, this means:
- Lessons are logically sequenced and build on one another
- Teachers review previously learned content
- New concepts are clearly explained and modelled
- Students participate in guided and repeated practice
- Adjustments are made to support and extend students so that all learners are working at the right level for their needs
- Teachers provide specific feedback throughout the lesson
- Students complete independent practice to consolidate skills
- Learning is regularly assessed and reviewed
This method ensures that all students are actively engaged and supported to achieve success in Mathematics.
We also recognise that students learn at different paces and levels. That’s why we make ongoing adjustments to extend students who are ready for challenge and support those who need additional help, ensuring every child is being taught at the right level for their learning. Our goal is always to improve student outcomes and foster a love of learning mathematics.
The Mathematics curriculum includes Number and Algebra, Statistics and Probability, and Measurement and Geometry. These strands are taught with a focus on deep understanding, fluency, reasoning, and problem-solving.
For students in Years 5 and 6, we are offering opportunities to participate in an Extension Maths program, designed to challenge and further develop mathematical thinking in students who demonstrate high potential in this area.
Mathematics is a subject that empowers students to think logically, solve problems and make sense of the world around them. Through a consistent, evidence-based we aim to set our students up for success, now and into the future.
Feast of the Assumption and Grandparents Day
You’re Invited – Feast of the Assumption Mass and Grandparents’ Morning Tea Friday 15 August 9:15am. We warmly invite all parents and grandparents to join us on Friday 15 August for a special celebration of the Feast of the Assumption, one of the most significant days in our Church calendar.
Our whole school community will gather for Mass at 9:15am to honour Mary, the mother of Jesus, and to reflect on her faith and devotion.
Following Mass, we welcome you to visit your grandchild’s classroom, where students will proudly share some of their learning from the year so far.
After classroom visits, please join us for a picnic morning tea on the grass. We are so looking forward to welcoming our grandparents and special friends. We hope you can join us for this meaningful and joy-filled morning.
BOOK WEEK
We’re approaching that time again when the talk of costumes, dress ups and favourite characters are hot topic! Book Week is being celebrated in Week 5 this term. This year’s Book Week theme is “Book an Adventure”. This theme provides great scope to be imaginative with costumes. These can be as creative and diverse as you wish. Really any book character could feature with this theme. Let your child escape into the character of their choice! Our Book Parade will be held on Monday 18 August at 9am in the Hall.
PARENT EDUCATION
Catholic School Parents Australia are presenting the Parent Webinar: Strengthening Young People Against Anxiety. The webinar is designed to empower parents with practical tools and insights to support their children in managing anxiety. Presented by psychologist Karen Young, this session will explore strategies to promote wellbeing. Please refer to the flyer below for registration details.
Blessings on your family this week.
Warm regards
Jo
Johanna Wain
Principal
National Science Week 2025
Next week, we are looking forward to celebrating National Science Week. Science Week runs from 9-17 August and is a fantastic time to spark curiosity and wonder across all year levels. This year’s theme is “Decoding the Universe – Exploring the unknown with nature’s hidden language.” The theme invites students and teachers to delve into the mysteries of the Universe by exploring the fundamental languages of nature, including mathematics and the groundbreaking field of quantum science. On Wednesday afternoon, students will have the opportunity to participate in a science activity of their choice. In mixed Kindergarten to Year 6 groups, students will engage in a variety of fun, hands-on science experiences that encourage them to think like scientists - asking questions, making predictions, and exploring the fascinating patterns and mysteries of the natural world. It's sure to be a week full of discovery and excitement!
Jollybops Science Show
We’re excited to be hosting the Jollybops Science Show later in the term. Jollybops will be visiting St Mary’s on Tuesday, 9 September. Students in Kinder - Year 2 will take part in ‘Move and Groove with Energy’ and students in Years 3-6 will view ‘The Big Chemistry Show’.
These interactive and entertaining shows bring science to life through fun experiments, colourful demonstrations, and lots of laughter. We can’t wait to see our students inspired and amazed by the wonder of science!
Public Speaking
This week, a number of students proudly represented St Mary’s in the Southern Region Public Speaking Competition, hosted by St Joseph’s Bombala via video link. I had the privilege of watching the Year 3 and 4 presentations on Wednesday and was incredibly impressed by the confidence, clarity, and preparation shown by all students.
Our finalists were:
Year 3: Olivia L and Quinn A
Year 4: Maisie B and Harriet W
Year 5: Fergus P and Tommy D
Year 6: Tessa H and Matilda W
A huge congratulations to Olivia L, Harriet W and Tommy D, who were the winners of their respective categories, and to Quinn A and Matilda W who were awarded runner-up. These students will now compete at the Archdiocesan level on Friday 12 September. We are so proud of all students who participated and represented our school with pride!
Book Week
Excitement is building as we move closer to another Book Week! The Children’s Book Council of Australia theme for 2025 is “Book an Adventure,” inviting us all to embrace the wonder, imagination and adventure that books can bring. One of the highlights will be our Book Week Parade, where students are encouraged to dress up as a favourite book character. There is already plenty of talk about costumes, and we look forward to celebrating the magical worlds we can explore through a good book. The Book Parade will be held on Monday 18 August at 9:00am in the PAC, followed later in the day by our annual Book Week Trivia at 12:30pm. This fun event sees students working in mixed-age groups, competing to answer questions based on popular literature, picture books and class novels that have been the focus of their learning over the past few terms.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Mrs Jessica Afflick
Assistant Principal (Acting)
This Sunday Fr Josh has his official Installation as Parish Priest and also as Dean of our area on Sunday the 10th August at 10am Mass. We warmly welcome families to come join in this very special Mass and morning tea afterwards presided by Archbishop Christopher Prowse. We are sure your child/ren have come home already and explain that they have met Fr Josh as he has come and visited all the classrooms and can often be spotted playing handball at break time or helping with afternoon pick up to meet families.
First Eucharist Sacramental Program
The Sacrament of First Eucharist will be celebrated this term with some of our Year 4 students. The students are beginning to prepare for this sacrament in their classroom learning and are looking forward to this important step in their faith journey. We keep these students closely in our thoughts and prayers over the coming weeks. The sacrament of First Eucharist will be celebrated on Saturday 13th September at 5pm. All families and parishioners are warmly invited to attend this special Mass. Information regarding the sacrament of Eucharist will be shared with families. Some key dates to note in relation to the sacrament of Eucharist are listed below:
Save the Date:
|
First Eucharist Commitment Mass |
Saturday 23rd August |
|
First Eucharist Retreat Day |
Thursday 28th September, Carroll College |
|
Sacrament of First Eucharist Mass |
Saturday 13th September 5:00pm |
A reminder that regular attendance at weekend Masses is an important commitment and a special way you can support your child in their sacramental preparations.
Feast of the Assumption Mass & Grandparents Day
On Friday 15 August, we will celebrate both the Feast of the Assumption and Grandparents Day, a very special occasion that honours the role of Mary, our Mother in the life of the Church and recognises the love, wisdom and guidance of our wonderful grandparents.
Year One with some amazing grandparent helpers will be leading us in prayer at Mass. We warmly invite families to join us for Mass at 9:15am, followed by morning tea back at school. Children and families are encouraged to pack something to share together for morning tea, either with their grandparents or special guests. We look forward to welcoming our grandparents and grandfriends for this meaningful celebration of faith, family, and gratitude.
Feast of St Mary of the Cross, Mary MacKillop
This week, classes have been learning about Saint Mary MacKillop, Australia’s first saint, and her incredible contribution to Catholic education as her Feast Day is celebrated today August 8th. Students have explored how Mary, alongside Father Julian Tenison Woods, helped establish schools across Australia and New Zealand to ensure all children; especially those in rural and disadvantaged communities, had access to education. Through engaging lessons and activities, students have reflected on her courage, compassion, and dedication to living out the Gospel message in her everyday life. One of Mary’s well-known sayings, “Never see a need without doing something about it,” has inspired students to think about how they can show kindness, take action, and help others in their own lives.
Mrs Carla Durnan
Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)
Our awesome Year 6 class has made a cracking start to the term! We've kicked off with enthusiasm, launching our Positive Behaviour Plan, and many students have already earned close to $100 through their responsible choices and positive attitude. Everyone is eagerly looking forward to our exciting class auction at the end of the term—it’s sure to be a highlight!
Religion
In Religion, we’ve been learning about how Catholics were treated in early Australian history. To deepen our understanding, we invited our new priest, Father Josh, to speak with us. He shared his inspiring journey as a priest and left us with a thought-provoking question:
Would you choose to dedicate your life to becoming a priest or nun, or would you prefer to pursue a different career and raise a family?
Quick Joke
Q: What is green, black, white, slimy and bumpy all over?
A: A pickle in a tuxedo!
Geography
In Geography, we’ve been studying the continents of the world, the five oceans, and the diverse regions of Asia. We’ve researched various islands, located them on our class map, and held discussions on topics like: are there more countries in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere? What is the closest country to Australia?
Quick Joke
Q: Why did the duck not cross the road?
A: Because he wasn’t a chicken!
English
In English, we have been sharpening our persuasive writing skills, and our latest challenge is to craft letters to Mrs Wain, convincing her whether or not our school should have a therapy dog. Opinions in our class are divided—some students are strongly in favour, while others are firmly against the idea! We are also proud of Tessa and Matilda, who represented our school in the Southern Region Schools Speaking Competition.
Quick Joke
Q: What does a storm cloud wear under his raincoat?
A: Thunderwear.
Mathematics
In Mathematics, we’ve been tackling improper fractions and mixed numerals, mastering both addition and subtraction. We've also been learning how to create and interpret column graphs accurately. Plus, Math Extension is starting soon, and we’re excited for the challenge!
Quick Joke:
Q: What happens when a dog, a tap, and a tomato are in a race?
A: The dog is in the lead, the tap is running, and the tomato is trying to catch up!
Art
in Art, we’ve been exploring the vibrant work of Australian artist Ken Done. Inspired by his bold use of colour and pattern, we are currently illustrating detailed drawings of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and its surrounding landscape. Soon, we will shift our focus to the rich Indigenous art, as we begin creating landscapes inspired by the work of renowned artist Albert Namatjira.
Quick Joke:
Q: What do you call an angry carrot?
A: A steamed vegetable!
Reminder
Get excited! Year 6 will be leading the Talent Show during Book Week in Week 5. As part of their leadership role, Year 6 will be helping to organise, host, and support the event. It’s going to be a fun-filled week packed with creativity and St Mary’s spirit!
Written By: Declan T and Tessa H - School Leaders
Ms Allison Lock
Year 6 Teacher
|
Kinder Blue |
Archie S, Zeke A, Arnem B |
| 1 Blue |
Adwik S, Torah A, Dulcie H, Jace C |
| 2 Blue |
Kingi T, Evana P, Byron S, William L |
|
3 Blue |
Christopher T, Harper P, Lucas BT, Evan GJ |
|
4 Blue |
Akeyla F, Natasha S, Ned S |
|
4 Maroon |
Theodore J, Koa R, Ryan F |
|
5 Blue |
Beau McD, Lucy T, Aria T |
|
6 Blue |
Abbie H, Pham N, Sam W |
Southern Region Athletics Carnival
Congratulations to the 51 St Mary’s students who competed at the Southern Region Athletics carnival last Monday in Bega. It was a beautiful day on arrival and it was wonderful to watch all our St Marys students cheering each other on during their races. Thank you to Mr Harpley and Ms Lock who assisted supervising the students and making sure they were all at their events at the right time. Our competitors were also very excited to be showing off our new St Mary’s Sport Singlets! We think they look fabulous! Thank you to Mrs Wain for helping to organise these for our students to wear as proud ambassadors for St Mary’s.
A special congratulations to Mackenzie H (Year 6) who was awarded the Southern Region Senior Girls Age Champion for Athletics for 2025.
The Archdiocesan Athletics carnival will be held in Canberra on Thursday 21 August at the AIS. If your child is unable to attend this event, please be in touch at your earliest convenience so that the next competitor can be contacted. Congratulations to the following students on their selection into the Archdiocesan Athletic Team.
2025 Archdiocesan Athletics Team - We wish them all the very best of luck
|
Calvin M |
Camden H |
Xavier E |
Zahli K |
Mackenzie H |
|
Bella S |
Abbie H |
Anikah H |
Patrick W |
Ned S |
|
Olivia L |
Maisie B |
Byron S |
Liam G |
Andre L |
|
Patterson M |
Milton W |
A reminder that all competitors moving to the next level must be registered on the CSNSW website as soon as possible (all information was communicated in the sports package successful students received at the southern region carnival). Please be in contact if you require any assistance to create a profile or registering your child on the CSNSW website.
Have a wonderful week.
Mrs Megan Grant
Sports Coordinator
Supportive Question Prompts for Bullying
“I am being bullied” is very general and sometimes vague complaint that kids come to parents, teachers and/or counsellors with. In my experience, what is described by children as “bullying” can vary as wildly as (1) an unkind comment on the playground taken out of context (on the mild end), to (2) incidents involving serious intimidation, coercion, relational aggression or physical harm (on the severe end). It can sometimes feel difficult to unravel what is really going on. I find the primary concern of many kids, when truthfully telling adults that they are being bullied, is that no one will believe them.
When a child tells me they are being bullied, I have six simple, supportive question prompts I typically take them through (based on a Kids Helpline resource). These questions can be helpful for parents too. Here is a summary, with some brief explanation:
Question 1: Was it deliberate or on purpose?
Kids will sometimes have a perception that being pushed during soccer or being called a mean name was deliberate. It is worth taking some time to unpack the social dynamics, to see if their perception is really accurate. Sometimes it turns out they were caught in a wrong perception. Was the other child dysregulated and yelling at a number of children in a group? Or rather, did it happen during a one-on-one conversation, or in a situation involving premeditated peer pressure?
Question 2: Was it personal or targeted?
This is a logical flow-on from question 1. Is the behaviour that the child received a result of targeting? Was there some forethought or opportunism in what happened, or does it appear to be something spontaneous, such as another child becoming dysregulated and taking it out on whoever was around them?
Question 3: Was it said in anger?
We’ve all said things in anger that we really regret and had to apologise for it afterwards. A helpful way of asking this question for younger children is to ask if the other child felt bad about what happened and said sorry afterward.
Question 4: Was it part of a fight with a friend?
Conflict is a normal and healthy part of all relationships, whether with adults or children. The key question here is whether the conflict was a healthy airing of differences (without aggression or intimidation) or rather more likely about one person needing to dominate or have power over the other person.
Question 5: Has it only happened once or twice?
Children don’t always understand that by bullying, we mean a persistent pattern of behavioural targeting. A once-off event that is not repeated over a longer period of social exposure is unlikely to be bullying.
Question 6: Does the person doing it have more power than you? (Are they older, stronger, more popular, etc.)
In most cases, bullies only pick on other kids they perceive as “weak” or having lower social status.
If the answer to all six of these questions is “yes,” then it is most likely to be a genuine bullying concern that may be worth raising with relevant supportive adults in your child’s life, such as their teacher or coach.
Warmly,
Damian Gerber
Student and Family Counsellor
