Newsletter, W3, T2, 2024
Principal's Report
Dear Parents & Carers,
Welcome to our first newsletter for this term and to Catholic Education Week. This year we are celebrating Catholic schools across our diocese earlier than usual so the dates coincide with the 150th year anniversary of the formation of the Diocese of Ballarat. Catholic Education Week affords us an ideal opportunity to focus on, and celebrate, the unique ethos of Catholic schools and in particular our very own School. Throughout the course of the week please watch out for promotional materials about all that Catholic Education, including St Mary’s, can offer you and your children on radio, TV, newspapers and in social media. We will conclude Catholic Education Week at St Mary’s with a special liturgy at 10.30am this Friday, 3rd May in the gym. Everyone is welcome and we’d love to see you all there.
In addition to Catholic Education Week, we have started this term with several celebrations and events. Last week we hosted the opening of our new administration building and learning areas. It was a wonderful celebration and a terrific opportunity to showcase our amazing school. Special mention to Anne Webster MP who officially opened the new works. Thank you to Daryl Singh and the Manatunga Dancers for their moving Acknowledgement of Country, to our special guests and to the Dean family who graciously allowed us to honour the memory of Mr Rod Dean, caretaker of St Mary’s for over 20 years, at the ceremony. Thank you to the Leadership Team and the staff for all the work they put in to preparing for the occasion, to the Student Leadership Team and our beautiful choir for their participation. A very special thank you to our team of LSOs who worked tirelessly in the lead up to ensure the school was sparkling and looking its absolute best on the day!
In addition to the opening we also took the opportunity to reflect and commemorate our Anzacs last week with our own Anzac ceremony here at school and with our School Captains, Lorenza Chirchiglia and Montana Zappia, representing St Mary’s at the community service on Thursday 25th April. Thanks to Jess Baldock and Maryanne Leslie for their leadership on these occasions.
The Friday after their Anzac day we all headed down to the Robinvale football oval for our annual Cross Country. It was a great success and, once again our school spirit and teamwork were alive and well which made the event so successful. Congratulations to the students who won their races on the day and to every student who participated and earned points for their House. A list of all the students who won their event is listed further down in this newsletter. Congratulations to Patrician, who were the overall winners on the day and special mention to Des Lowry for his planning & organisation of the event.
Next Friday, 10th May, we have our annual Mothers Day celebration coming up. This is always a wonderful celebration of both our mums and our community in general. We will begin by honouring our mothers with a special liturgy, followed by a craft activity in family groups and finish off with a delicious shared morning tea. This year we will also hold a raffle with some wonderful prizes on offer. Tickets are available now and on the day. Please join us for this very special celebration.
This term we have two school camps scheduled. Our Year 7 & 8 students are heading to the Grampians and our Year 3 & 4 students to Swan Hill. Please keep an eye out for notes coming home with details for both camps and, as always, if the cost of the camp is a concern please don’t hesitate to contact me as we may be able to help and will never exclude a student from attending camp for financial reasons. I’d also like to offer a friendly reminder to parents that school camps are an important part of the school curriculum and occur on normal school days, therefore students are required to attend camp or come to school when camps are occurring.
To complete my report, I have a staffing update for you. This week both Cenza Brigante and Beth Moloney shared some happy news with me. Cenza has shared that she is expecting her first child later this year. This is very exciting news for Cenza and her husband Justin. Cenza will continue to teach her class for the majority of the year and I will update you with more details about what will happen when she takes parental leave a bit closer to the date. In the meantime, I’m sure you’ll join me in congratulating Cenza and Justin and wishing them every happiness during this special time. Beth Moloney also came to see me to let me know that she and her partner Jason are relocating due to Jason’s work commitments. Beth has been with us for almost six years and, while we are sorry to see her go, we realise that this is a wonderful opportunity for both Beth and Jason and wish them good luck and every happiness too. Beth will finish her employment here at St Mary’s at the end of May and I will begin the process of advertising for her replacement soon.
Kind regards,
Andrea Welsh
Parish
CONFIRMATION (Year 3 and above)
Parents are invited to present their child, with an enrolment form, at any Mass up until 30th June.
Please note the change of date for the original Parent Information Meeting.
Meeting now will be Wednesday 26th June to avoid a clash with NSW school holidays.
SWPBS
The SWPBS focus for this week is to avoid physical contact.
Primary
Foundation
Welcome to Term 2!
Throughout this Term, Foundation students will continue to develop their knowledge of sounds and letters to read and write. We are also beginning to explore a variety of Play Based Learning experiences with students, allowing them to develop their creativity and language skills. This will lead to lots of valuable discussions about many different topics, allowing students to develop vocabulary, speech abilities and practice social and daily life skills. We look forward to these experiences!
This Term in Religion we begin exploring the concept of WONDER. We have started by looking at the wonder of the world, especially nature. Students have done a nature walk in our school and used some items form nature to make an artwork. We will begin to explore the Creation Story very soon.
We would like to remind parents that it is important that we continue to encourage independence skills when students are at school. To best support your child with these skills, it is important that lunchboxes and containers are able to be opened by students, clothing items are labelled with names they can read and school bags are able to hold all the items needed for school. It is expected that students are working towards unpacking and packing their own bags, looking after their own items like lunchboxes and jumpers and organising themselves for recess and lunch. Although we are here to support them when needed, we are encouraging them to work on these skills independently as much as possible.
We look forward to another exciting and busy Term in the Foundation unit.
Year 1/2
How wonderful it is to be back at school. We have started this term with gusto, and already there is much to do! While week one had us adjusting back to school after a refreshing holiday, week 2 saw us with a huge Celebration Opening of our newly refurbished Foundation and Year 1/2 learning areas. We also had a commemorative service for ANZAC Day, a public holiday and a fabulous Cross Country event.
Students continue to keep good reading-at-home habits, which is tremendous. Oh.. we also threw in an exciting Science Day about Water!
For our literacy focus, we are learning about the features of narrative text. Our science unit for the term is about materials and how they change with heat and cold.
Year 3/4
The school is buzzing with excitement with happy and excited students all around.
There are lots of exciting events and activities in the pipeline in Term 2.
Students will be learning about Procedure Texts in reading and writing. The focus in Science is on the different types of materials and their features. This term we will focus on the concept of ‘Unity’ in Religion. Students will learn about the neighbour’s of Australia in Humanities.
Students are encouraged to read for 10 minutes per week (Monday to Thursday) and bring their diaries regularly to school for the teacher to sign.
Year 5/6
Welcome back to term 2! We hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable holiday break.
Term 2 will continue to be full of interesting learning as students will explore their connections to Australia. In Humanities, students will have the opportunity to interview someone about their journey to Australia or their special connection to Country.
In Science, students will investigate and explain scientific concepts related to Earth and space, understand the impact of scientific knowledge on decision making, and explore the properties of solids, liquids, and gases through hands-on experiments and demonstrations.
In Health, students will delve into health-related fitness, exploring community resources and strategies to seek support for health, safety, and wellbeing. They will also develop and implement plans to promote these aspects, while understanding the role of preventive health in maintaining individual and community wellbeing.
In Religion, students will discuss Heritage; features belonging to the culture of a particular society, such as traditions, languages, or buildings, that were created in the past and still have historical importance.
Don’t forget Cross Country is next Friday. All students are expected to attend this school event.
Homework will begin next week. Please continue with nightly reading.
Performing Arts
SAVE THE DATE
Wednesday June 19th 2024
St Mary’s Whole School Concert at the Robinvale Community Arts Centre
Night at the Museum
In this exciting adventure, a group of students embark on a class excursion to the museum. However, things take an unexpected turn when they get lost and find themselves locked in overnight. As the night unfolds, the museum exhibits mysteriously come to life, leading the students on a magical journey through history. Together, they encounter famous historical figures and interact with captivating artifacts, all while trying to find their way back to safety. This thrilling and enchanting tale explores the power of imagination, friendship, and the wonders of the past.
This Term in Performing Arts we are working hard on our Concert items. All Primary students will be performing on stage in their class items. Secondary students are participating by choosing their own roles such as acting, stage crew, ushers, making props etc. More information will be sent home soon. Everyone’s very excited and can’t wait to perform on the Community Centre stage. Make sure you keep June 19th free!
Visual Arts
Foundation
Preps have been using the element of line in our creating. We have used playdough to make lines and have also been practicing our line work by ‘painting’ on the concrete. Using water and paint brushes the students have also learnt how to hold and use a paint brush correctly.
Year 3/4
We have been looking at Jenny Klee and her artwork ‘Opal Oz Pax’ and will be creating our own amazing opal paintings in Term 2.
Year 5/6
Our finished art work inspired by Australian artist Bernadette Twomey have really brought some colour into the art room. I think we can all agree that we have some budding artists in the 5/6 area.
Term 2 focus in 5/6 is reverse acetate portraits inspired by Andy Warhol. This is proving a challenge and is very much ‘trust the process’ art as it is difficult to focus on the end result as it is being produced in small steps.
Secondary
Year 7/8
Welcome back to Term 2! We hope you had a wonderful break and are ready for an action-packed term filled with exciting experiences and valuable learning opportunities.
This term promises to be a busy one, with a plethora of activities and events planned to enrich our students' educational journey. We are particularly looking forward to our upcoming excursion to Mildura Field Day, where students will have the chance to engage with agricultural innovations and immerse themselves in hands-on learning experiences.
Following our excursion, we are eagerly anticipating our camp to Silverband Lodge in Halls Gap. This immersive outdoor experience promises to be a highlight of the term, offering students the opportunity to bond with their peers, embrace nature, and participate in a range of adventurous activities.
We look forward to sharing these memorable experiences with our Year 7&8 students and witnessing their growth and development throughout the term.
English
Year 7 - Great start to the term as we explore different cultural and traditions. Students will be asked to write a Recount for their assignment this term where they select a culture and discuss any rituals or traditions and explain the significance of it.
Year 8 - Over the past 2 weeks, students have been going back in time and learning about ‘The Childhood in the Victorian era’ around 1850 - 1901’. Alongside this, they will shortly be given their second Assignment for the year and be asked to give a Speech in class persuading their peers to help the children and explain the difficulties they face each day.
Maths
Year 7- Started on high note looking at Integers and learning about positive and negative integers and how to work with them. Learners approached learning the XY Cartesian plane with enthusiasm.
Year 8- The topic Real numbers introduced Maths this term for year 8. Learners explored the differences between rational and irrational numbers, how to represent them on the number line.
Science
Year 7- Learners continue to dive into Taxonomy. Learning more on Binomial Nomenclature-classification of plants and animals scientifically. Over the next two weeks learners will have fun exploring the Dichotomous key and observe life under a microscope.
Year 8- It’s all about Body Systems this term in science. Finalised digestive systems with an experiment on making a ‘burp’. Learners this week are learning the intricacies of the Circulatory systems.
PE
Year 7 - Modified Sport games. Students will participate in a variety of sports that are mixed together. Here, they are learning to incorporate a range of skills developed from their prior knowledge and previous term’s lessons.
Year 8 - Traditional Games.
Health
Year 7 - This term students have been learning about Managing Safety and Risks as part of the Victorian Curriculum. Here, we have learnt about the positives and negatives of taking risks and making informed decisions when coming across certain situations.
Year 8 - As students move into their stage of adolescence, we are learning about the Changes and Challenges they are or will face in everyday life. Discussing alternatives and supportive strategies when going through these complex times.
Humanities
Year 7 - Students are learning about Economics and Business. These past two weeks, they have been learning about a variety of topics including: Producers & Consumers, Needs & Wants and Goods & Services.
Year 8- This term students are exploring Economics and Business. Topics tackled already are the market systems, government and consumer protection. The student will continue to be engaged in identifying different participants in the marketplace in the course of the term.
Performing Arts
This Term in Performing Arts we are working hard on our Concert items. All Primary students will be performing on stage in their class items. Secondary students are participating by choosing their own roles such as acting, stage crew, ushers, making props etc. Students with an acting role have been sent home a copy of the script. Please encourage them to practise their lines. Any questions feel free to send me an email ssutton@smrobinvale.catholic.edu.au More information will be sent home soon. Everyone’s very excited and can’t wait to perform on the Community Centre stage. Make sure you keep June 19th free!
Food Technology
As we dive into an exciting new term, we're thrilled to share what's happening with our Year 7 & 8 students in their Food Technology elective!
Food Technology with a St Mary's Kitchen Rules Twist
Every Wednesday, our Year 7 & 8 students are exploring the culinary arts with a twist of excitement inspired by "St Mary's Kitchen Rules". This elective allows them to unleash their creativity in the kitchen while learning essential cooking skills and exploring healthy food choices.
First Recipe: Sweet or Savoury Healthy Muffins
In our first class, students delved into the world of baking by crafting delicious sweet or savoury healthy muffins. It was inspiring to see their creativity and culinary flair in action as they whipped up mouthwatering treats.
Last Week’s Recipe: ANZAC Biscuits
Building on their newfound baking skills, last week our budding chefs tackled the iconic ANZAC Biscuits. As we approach ANZAC Day, it's a wonderful opportunity for students to learn about the significance of this tradition while honing their baking techniques.
Reminder for Students:
Just a friendly reminder for students to bring a container to take home their delectable creations. We want to ensure that their culinary masterpieces make it safely from the kitchen to your dining table!
We're incredibly proud of the enthusiasm and dedication our Year 7 & 8 students are showing in their Food Technology elective. It's great to see them embrace new challenges and develop valuable life skills in the kitchen.
