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School Priorities - 2024 Annual Improvement Plan
Each year, all schools across Australia are required to develop an Annual Improvement Plan with main priority areas. Data from diagnostic testing, school based assessments and surveys (parent, staff and student) are used to determine our areas for further improvement.
In consultation with Mr Tim Smith, our School's Performance and Improvement Leader at Catholic Education, the Leadership Team have identified priority areas and decided on three main goals to achieve by the end of the school year:
Goal One - All students will demonstrate mastery of skills in Spelling, Reading and Mathematics in their own zone of proximal development.
Goal Two -All staff and students will confidently use safe and ordered routines in the classroom and during transitions
Goal Three - Students will have attained the relevant Curriculum Achievement Standards in Religious Education
With significant support from Catholic Education and Good to Great Schools Australia, we are particularly well placed to make further gains in student learning outcomes in Literacy and Numeracy. Our successful 3 year Fair Education Project has now come to an end; having enabled us to revitalise our Early Years’ learning and contributed significantly to our point of difference in the community.
Vision and Mission
We are thrilled to be able to share our new Vision and Mission Statements with the school community. Following much thinking and discussion over the past year, we are hopeful that they sum up who we are at St Mary’s today; a school with its charism based on the Sisters of the Good Samaritan tradition, a responsibility to nurture faith and wellbeing and to educate its students for a positive future.
Vision Statement
Walking together with Jesus, we nurture faith, compassion and a love of learning.
Mission Statement
Based on the traditions of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, St Mary’s educates and fosters the faith and well being of all, through living out our values of:
- Kindness and Compassion
- Gratitude and Responsibility
- Respect and Service
- Inclusion and Diversity
- Social Justice and Charity
- Hope for the future
Morning Drop Off/Afternoon Pick Up procedures
When dropping off your children in the morning, please park in a designated parking area. Please do not use the school's driveway in Queen Street to quickly drop off your children, as this is an unsafe practice. Cars stopped in this driveway are impeding buses moving out safely.
Just a reminder that we have two pick up areas in the afternoon. Students can be picked up at the end of the oval near the Church car park and at the front of the school near the St Mary’s statue. You are more than welcome to come into the school grounds and wait. Please let your child know which area you will be picking them up from. Teachers are rostered to walk the groups of students down to these two areas. If parents are late, students will be taken back to the office to be collected. Thank you for your support.
Signing in and volunteering at school
Thank you to our parents and grandparents who volunteer their time at school, whether it be in the classroom or with other school activities. Whilst it is not mandatory for our parents to have a WWCC to be in their own child's classroom, we do encourage them to have one. That way we are covered if you help out with other children e.g. Southern Region carnivals
You can apply for a Volunteer Working with Children Check (WWCC) online through
https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-for-a-working-with-children-check
and bring in a copy to be filed in the front office. A Volunteer WWCC does not cost anything.
The most important aspect is signing in and out each time a parent or grandparent visits the school for longer than a few minutes. This is for student security and in case of an evacuation. Please make sure that you come into the front office and sign in as soon as you arrive, then sign out when you leave. If you need to pick your child up earlier in the afternoon, please also come to the office. We ask that parents don't go straight to the classrooms as students need to be signed out.
Seasons for Growth
We are pleased to be able to offer a Seasons for Growth program next term, initially for students in Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2). Faith Costigan, our school counsellor and Mrs Janet Ryan will lead the program for students who have experienced change, loss or grief in their lives. If you would like your child to be involved, please send your child's teacher or me a message as soon as possible. Please see more information here https://www.mackillopseasons.org.au/programs/seasons-for-growth-children-and-young-people/
New Families
We make a special welcome to some new students and their families Evan year 2 & Isha Kindergarten.
Facebook
We use Facebook to share many of the fabulous things happening everyday at St Mary’s with our parents, friends, grandparents and community members. We receive lots of positive feedback, especially from those families whose grandparents live out of town.
Our School Community Council is also intending to utilise our Schools’ Facebook page to share its important information with the community.
Games Club
Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the second break, we host a Games Club upstairs above the toilets, especially for those students who like to socialise and have quiet time off the playground. All students are welcome to join Mr Ziino (Student Wellbeing Officer) and me to build Lego and play cards/board games.
If you think your child would benefit from attending the club, but are concerned that he/she may not come on their own, please let us know. We will encourage students to join us.
Donations - Lego and Duplo
We are hoping that some of our families may have some old Lego and Duplo that they no longer require. If you do, please drop them into the Front office. We will wash and sort the blocks. Thank you for your support.
Online Triple P - Positive Parenting Program
Parents and carers are able to access free online parenting courses developed in Australia by the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, thanks to Australian Government funding. Below is a link to some online resources that may assist families with the everyday challenges parents and carers face raising calm, resilient and happy children.
https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/au/triple-p/
I encourage all parents to look into these courses.
Lent
As we come towards the end of the term, we need to remember that we are in the season of Lent, the most important time in the Catholic Church Year. Under the guidance of Father George and Mrs Gen Schofield, we are teaching the students that Lent is a time to become closer to God through prayer; a time to do good deeds and a time to give to the poor through Project Compassion. At St Mary’s, we teach the students that the season of Lent, Holy Week and Easter are much more than chocolate and easter eggs.
Prayer for Gaza
We continue to pray for the people of Gaza, especially the many innocent children and the elderly.
On the last day of Term One, Friday April 12, we will have a Mufti Day at school to raise money to go to Caritas to provide much needed water, food and medical supplies.
For those parents new to school, a Mufti Day is a day when students can come to school in casual clothes and are asked to bring a gold coin for the privilege of it! It's likely Year 6 will also be selling off their Zooper Doopers that day so please send along an extra coin.
Please make sure that your children wear closed in shoes for safety.
The money raised on such days will go directly to a charity. In this case money will go to
https://www.caritas.org.au/donate/emergency-appeals/gaza-crisis/
God’s blessings of you and your families
Mrs Noeleen O'neill
Principal
NAPLAN
Congratulations to our Year 3 & 5 students who have completed their National testing over the past two weeks. NAPLAN testing 2024 for students in Years 3 and 5 commenced on Wednesday 13 March. Catch up tests can be completed up to Monday 25 March for students who may have missed a test through an absence or for other reasons.
All students who participate in NAPLAN receive an individual report of their results. NAPLAN individual student reports will be provided to schools from Term 3, with timing determined by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).
We have been very proud of our Year 3 and Year 5 students’ approach to the testing and the way they have efficiently used the time given to them to complete the tests. Thank you to the Year 3 and Year 5 teachers and our Classroom Support Assistants who have supported the children.
CONNECTING MATHS CONCEPTS K-6
Connecting Math Concepts is a comprehensive Mathematics program designed to help students develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and build their problem-solving skills. The program covers a wide range of mathematical topics, including number and algebra, measurement and space, and data analysis. It follows a logical and sequential progression, ensuring that students develop a solid foundation in Mathematics.
The program is structured in a way that connects different mathematical concepts and builds upon previously learned skills. It focuses on developing students' ability to think critically and apply mathematical knowledge to real-world situations. By emphasising connections between concepts and promoting problem-solving strategies, Connecting Math Concepts aims to help students develop a conceptual understanding of Mathematics rather than just memorising procedures.
Lesson Structure
Each lesson within Connecting Math Concepts follows a structured format. Typically, it includes an introduction, guided practice, independent practice, and a summary or review section. During the lesson, tasks come in different formats, including multiple-choice questions, open-ended questions, problem-solving scenarios, and interactive activities. The variety helps engage students and allows for a well-rounded approach to skill development. Students are given opportunities for practice and reinforcement before applying their learning independently, solidifying their understanding, and developing fluency in mathematical procedures.
Lesson Progression: The program is usually organised in a sequential manner, with lessons building upon previously learned concepts. The tasks within each lesson typically progress in difficulty to scaffold students’ learning. They start with simpler problems and gradually increase in complexity, challenging students to apply their understanding in more advanced contexts. This progression is designed to help students develop a solid foundation in mathematical concepts and skills.
What are some of the benefits of CMC?
Conceptual Understanding: The program emphasises the development of conceptual understanding rather than just memorisation. It helps students make connections between different mathematical concepts, promoting a deeper understanding of how maths works and its real-world applications.
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: Connecting Math Concepts focuses on developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It encourages students to think analytically, reason logically, and apply mathematical concepts to solve complex problems. This prepares them for real-life situations where maths skills are essential.
Differentiated Instruction: The program offers differentiated instruction to address the diverse needs of students. Our students are placed into instructional groups based on a placement test and information gathered by teachers during class assessments as well benchmark assessments used by all students across the archdiocese. Student progress is monitored and tracked daily to assess mastery of content, and if students haven’t mastered a particular aspect of a lesson, this will be retaught. CMC provides resources and strategies to support struggling learners, as well as challenges for advanced students. This allows our teachers to meet individual student needs and promote growth for all learners.
If you are interested in watching a Connecting Maths Concepts lesson, please contact me and we can arrange a time for you to visit our classrooms.
THANK YOU FROM SAMOA
Recently, Calvin in Yr 3 and his family travelled to Samoa to visit family. While they were there they visited the local preschool and Vaiala Beach School where Calvin’s cousin’s Alby and Teddy attend. Before Calvin and his family left for Samoa, they collected a donation of books from St Mary’s to gift to these two schools. The staff and children were thrilled with their new books and sent a huge Samoan thank you to St Mary’s, and Calvin, for your kindness.
God bless and take care
Mrs Sue Heffernan
Assistant Principal
Holy Week
Holy Week is the most significant week in the Catholic Church. Spanning from Palm Sunday to Holy Saturday, it marks the final stretch before Easter Sunday, the celebration of Jesus' Resurrection.
St Mary’s students are invited to participate in the Palm Sunday Mass at 10am on 24 March and the Easter Sunday Mass at 10am on 31 March. Of course, our families are most warmly invited to all of the special services at Sacred Heart during Holy Week, please find the program below:
Journey With Jesus Retreat
On Wednesday this week, Year 6 travelled to St Bernard’s to participate in the Journey with Jesus Retreat. The day provided our students with opportunities to develop their friendships while learning more about the Gospel message of love, salvation and forgiveness. Thank you to Luke Maher from Catholic Education Canberra-Goulburn and his CSYMA team for a great encounter. We also thank Mrs. Sharon Beashel, Religious Education Coordinator at St Bernard’s for hosting our students.
A Prayer for Holy Week
Lord, look at me, accept my prayer as you
accepted Peter's prayer, and let me not
run away from you in the night as Judas did.
Bless me, Lord, in this Holy Week,
and give me the grace to know your
loving presence more intimately.
Amen.
Mrs Genevieve Schofield
Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)
It’s been a very busy start to the year for Year 6 Blue. The class has settled in well and has worked collaboratively to establish clear rules and expectations in class. The students are now busy with their daily learning and are making very pleasing progress. The students in 6 Blue have had a number of opportunities to demonstrate their leadership skills at carnivals, assemblies and in the interactions with their kinder buddies. They have done a fantastic job helping their buddies settle in and feel welcome and safe at school.
Religion
We have been working through a unit titled “Unlocking the Texts''. Students have identified life experiences of the psalmists and their relationship with God. They have also explored some features of Gospel texts that provide evidence of how writers shaped their Gospels for particular communities. We have also spent some of our Religion time learning about the season of Lent.
Year 6 have also recently travelled to St Bernard’s Primary School to attend the Catholic Schools Youth Mission Australia (CSYMA) Journey With Jesus retreat. It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to come together and experience a faith-filled day of games, activities, videos and talks that explored the Gospel messages of God’s love, salvation, and forgiveness.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about the purpose of Psalms and understanding that they are often short stories used as songs. This was so interesting, and I now have a better understanding of Psalms within the Bible” Xavier L
English
We have been working in both our Spelling Mastery and Reading Mastery groups to hone our skills to improve our reading and writing skills. In class we are reading the novel ‘Rivet Boy ’ by Barbara Henderson as our class novel. We have been using this as a springboard for our writing and research. Based on real people and events, Rivet Boy blends fact and fiction to tell the story of one boy's role in the building of the iconic Forth Rail Bridge--Scotland's greatest man-made wonder--in 1889.
“I think English is fun because I get to learn new words and definitions” - Ruby H
“I like listening to Mr Harpley read Rivet Boy and then working on our Rivet Boy Booklet” - Elyse B
“I like spelling because it does not go too long but it is good because you learn more” - Mitchell W
“I’ve enjoyed the novel study for Rivet Boy” - Nathan W
Maths
In Maths we are enjoying working in our Connecting Maths Concepts (CMC) groups Monday-Thursday. These groups are helping to consolidate learning of key concepts with the four operations, in particular multiplication and division.
On days when CMC is not run, Year 6 has been learning about angles. They have investigated how to draw, measure and compare angles. We are also currently investigating Cartesian planes.
“I’ve really enjoyed adding fractions together in CMC” - Lila W
“I love Cartesian Planes because we get to find out about the four quadrants” - Kade C
“I have liked learning about Cartesian planes. They have been fun” - Spencer S
History
The Year 6 curriculum focuses on the social, economic and political development of Australia as a nation, particularly after 1900, and Australia’s role within a diverse and interconnected world today. The content provides opportunities for students to develop humanities and social sciences understanding through key concepts including significance; continuity and change; cause and effect; and perspectives and action.
“I like how we learn about Australia as a nation and how Australia became a nation” - Cooper C
“I like History because we learned about Federation” - Benji P
Science
In the biological science unit we are currently studying, the students have investigated how physical conditions of the environment affect the survival of living things. We have learned that changes in physical conditions affect the behaviour and survival of living things. We have just begun an experiment to see how changing light, water and soil quality affects seed growth
“I liked doing experiments in STEM and Science” - Elka H
“I love building rockets in STEM!” - Jimmy H
Art
Year 6 have been doing Art with Ms Lock each Monday and Thursday. They have been producing some great works of art.
“I like doing graffiti art” - Aria S
“I really liked doing optical illusions” - James D
PDHPE
On Wednesday afternoons Mr Paul Hill has been teaching Year 6 students a Unit based on drug education. The students have been very engaged. They have also been playing a number of games focussed around teamwork. Over the last couple of weeks they have also been preparing for the Cross Country Carnival.
“I like playing capture the flag when all of Year 5 and 6 play together” - Roarke C
“I like sport and learning about drugs and how to stay safe” - Billy I
Mr Matthew Harpley
6 Blue Teacher
This award is an acknowledgment that students have been
outstanding and have gone above and beyond in the
classroom and on the playground!
|
Kinder B |
For consistently demonstrating that at St Mary’s we are Safe. |
|
1 Blue |
For appreciating the works of Henri Matisse and creating a beautiful still life artwork. |
|
2 Blue |
For making a positive and confident start in Year 2, and joining all our learning tasks with enthusiasm. Welcome to St Mary’s, Evan! |
|
3 Blue |
For his HUGE improvement in focus and concentration during class learning and taking on feedback to improve his learning. Great job Ned! |
|
3/4 Maroon |
For persistence and determination in both CMC and daily Maths lessons. Well done Lucy! |
|
4 Blue |
For an excellent written diary entry reflection from an Indigenous perspective of the James Cook landing. |
|
5 Blue |
For an amazing effort in Reading Mastery, completing her Fluency Checkout accurately and confidently. |
|
5/6 Maroon |
For demonstrating increased maturity in handling distractions, and managing his time effectively. Well done! |
|
6 Blue |
A great effort when drawing shapes on a Cartesian plane. |
|
Kinder B |
For drawing a fantastic map during Investigations, and following it! |
|
1 Blue |
For consistently displaying outstanding learning behaviours during Maths lessons, making wonderful growth counting on and off the decade by 10’s. |
|
2 Blue |
Going the extra mile to create a unique Place Value maths task at home and sharing this with Year 2. Well done, Olivia! |
|
3 Blue |
For your concentration and meticulous attention to create beautiful artworks, in particular your Picasso art. Great job Zane! |
|
3/4 Maroon |
For his engagement in all learning tasks, asking questions to assist his learning and working hard to do his best work at all times. |
|
4 Blue |
An excellent written diary entry of the James Cook landing in 1770. |
|
5 Blue |
For sustained effort in Connecting Maths Concepts, resulting in a perfect score of 100% on Mastery Test 5. |
|
5/6 Maroon |
For consistently being on task and ready to learn, you are truly an inspiration to your peers. |
|
6 Blue |
Her thoughtful responses during History comprehension tasks. |
Canberra Goulburn Rugby League Trials
Congratulations to the 9 St Mary’s students that attended the Rugby League trials last week in Canberra.
|
Nathan W |
Roarke C |
Jimmy H |
Cooper C |
Billy I |
|
Mitchell W |
Leo S |
Spencer S |
Sam W |
From all reports it was a fantastic day - albeit, incredibly hot! The 11 year old boys began the day first, and were split into teams with all boys showing excellent skills and could have easily been shortlisted into the possible/probable team. Spencer S, Sam W and Leo S were all given the opportunity to play an extra game, vying for a spot in the final team.Congratulations to Sam W and Leo S for their selection into the final Canberra Goulburn Rugby League Squad. Next up was the Opens trials (12 yr boys). The weather didn’t cool down at all but all the boys showed off their great skills again, making St Mary’s proud. Congratulations to: Nathan W, Billy I and Mitchell W on their selection into the Canberra Goulburn Opens Rugby League Team. Both teams will play at the MacKillop Trials in Canberra on Friday 10 May. We wish all the boys the very best of luck and I look forward to sharing their results next term.
Jimmy H: ‘I played second row and wing. There were some great kids there with really good sportsmanship.’
Roarke C: ‘It was very fun and very fair. The kids were very nice and supportive’.
Spencer S: ‘It was super fun! I enjoyed the day a lot. I liked having a run around with my mates and try my best and getting to play tackle footy . I liked how everyone had a go and tried their best to make it on’.
Billy I: ‘I played wing and centre. I got to meet new people and I also got picked to be in the rep team.’
Mitchell W: ‘I played centre and I am happy that I got picked for the rep team. It was good fun.’
Leo S: ‘I had a great time. It was hard, but lucky for me, I made it to the next level and I had a great time with my mates’.
Nathan W: ‘It was really fun. I enjoyed it and trying for the next team with my mates made it heaps of fun’.
Cooper C: ‘I played Centre and Wing. It was a good day and I had fun’.
Sam W: ‘I had fun but it was hard. There were lots of big people and they were tall and fast. I made it to the rep team but I am worried about the big kids from Parramatta!’
NSWCPS MacKillop Swimming
We wish the following students all the very best of luck as they travel to Sydney on Wednesday 3 April to compete at the NSWCPS MacKillop Swimming Championships. I look forward to sharing their results in the next newsletter.
Well done to: Ky N, Cooper C, Spencer S and Leo S and congratulations for reaching this level of competition.
Running Club with Mr Hill
Mr Paul Hill has reinstated the running club each week in preparation for the Cross Country at the end of the term. Any student is welcome to join in and is asked to bring their runners on any of the days. This was a big help to our students last year as they prepared for the long distance running events. It has been wonderful to see our runners out on the oval each week ready to take on the oval and hill as they increase their fitness.
Weyman Shield Rugby League Gala Day
On Thursday 4 April, students in Stage 3 will be walking to Ack Weyman oval to participate in the Weyman Shield Rugby League Gala Day. Students who currently play tackle football are able to play in the contact competition on the day and all other students will be placed into mixed league tag teams. I know that our students will have a great day. Information and consent forms will be communicated via COMPASS in the coming weeks.
Cross Country
On Friday, 5 April, we will be holding the St Mary’s Cross Country at Gundary Oval. This will be a K-6 event, with all students taking part in either a competitive 2 km (8, 9, 10 yrs), 3km (11, 12 yrs) run or a fun run of 1km. More details will be communicated in the coming weeks. All families and friends are welcome to attend and join in the cheering and fun.
K-2 AFL Skills Day
On Friday, 12 April, our littlest students will be having an in school K-2 AFL skills session with John Dyball. This day is always a highlight for our little people as they enjoy lots of fun games and laughs, while learning invaluable hand/eye coordination and ball skills. More details will be communicated in the coming weeks via COMPASS.
Mrs Megan Grant
Sports Coordinator
Canteen
Canteen is BACK! Following our recent survey, the Community Council is pleased to confirm that the Canteen will return from Friday 5 April, supported by Gundary Bakers.The Canteen will operate on Friday’s with orders placed via QKR!. Orders will need to be placed no later that Wednesday 10pm for Friday’s canteen.
As always, the Canteen will only be able to function with the support of volunteers. We are seeking volunteers now to support the canteen’s operations for Term 2, if you can assist (expected time approx 1-2 hours on a Friday morning) then please email Mary on mary.dullard@origin.com.au
Mother’s Day fundraising
The Community Council is preparing for two Mother’s Day fundraisers this year – the Spring Bulb Fundraiser and the annual Mother’s Day Raffle.
For anyone who hasn’t yet, please ensure you lodge your bulb orders via the link below by the April 11 to ensure you don’t miss out!
www.bulbfundraiser.com.au/STMMORUYA
The Community Council is currently compiling prizes for the Mother’s Day raffle, which will be drawn at the Mother’s day breakfast . If any local businesses wish to contribute prizes to the Mother’s Day Raffle (vouchers, goods and services etc) please contact Mary on mary.dullard@origin.com.au
Community Council
