Learning and Teaching News

Welcome back to a new year and new decade. We embrace an exciting year of learning and look forward to partnering with families to ensure each child thrives personally, socially and academically.

Our staff have begun the year in full flight. Together we renewed our commitment to fulfil our school vision:

St Martin de Porres parish primary school is an inclusive welcoming learning community of students, parents, families, staff, leaders and community partners.

Our relationships and work are inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

We are committed to creating and sustaining a community that is learning centred, deeply caring and engaging and which consistently values contemporary best practice.

We recognise the worth and dignity of each person and together we contribute to a life giving community.

St Martin de Porres Staff 2020

We welcomed six new staff members who were snapped learning with students this week. We welcome them to our learning community and look forward to learning from them and with them.

Bottom left in clockwise direction: Louise Year 3/4 Learning Enhancement teacher, Kate class teacher Prep K, Natalie Wellbeing Leader, Stella Year 3/4S class teacher, Sami class teacher Year 3/4ST class teacher and Lauren Year 2L class teacher.

Term 1 Inquiry Units:

Here’s a snapshot of our Term 1 Inquiry Learning Units. By knowing what is being explored in class, you can have conversations with your child about what they are learning and use opportunities to provide out of school experiences to support and deepen this learning.

Year 5/6 Inquiry Question: What does belonging mean? An inquiry into belonging and the rights, responsibilities and opportunities that come with being part of a class, school, parish and global community.

Year 3/4 Inquiry Question: What makes a successful community? An Inquiry into belonging to communities; rights and responsibilities, decision making, laws and rules and citizenship.

Year 2 Inquiry Question: What is special about my place, your place, our place? An Inquiry into who comes from where to make up our place; their traditions, stories, interests skills and talents.

Year 1 Inquiry Question: What does it mean to be a member of Year 1 @ St Martin de Porres? An Inquiry into our individual and class identities and the roles, rights and responsibilities in our families, school and community.

Prep Inquiry Question: How can I be happy, safe and successful learner? An Inquiry into what it means to be a learner in Prep at St Martin de Porres school - how to follow rules and routines, knowing about emotions and feelings and being safe and a successful learner.

Specialist lessons and when to wear sports uniform in 2020

On Wednesdays and Thursdays students participate in specialist lessons in Physical Education, Arts and Language other Than English -Italian.

Timetables determine when each year level has their lessons and when to wear sports uniform.

Prep students wear sports uniforms on Wednesdays and Thursdays

Year 1 students wear sports uniforms on Thursdays

Year 2 students wear sports uniforms on Wednesdays and Thursdays

Year 3/4 students wear sports uniforms on Wednesdays

Year 5/6 students wear sports uniforms on Wednesdays.

Library - students are timetabled to borrow from the library weekly. They require a library bag to protect and transport books between home and school.

Borrowing sessions are as follows:

Mondays: Prep, Year 2 and Year 3/4ST
Tuesdays: Year 3/4R and Year 3/4S
Year 1 & Year 5/6 will either borrow on Monday or Tuesday

Learning Conversations - Thursday 13th February 2020 between 12pm and 7:30pm

We are focussed on building relationships with every learner as well as knowing where they are in their learning.

As teachers, we are experts of education but families know their children far more deeply than us. We also know that when parents and teachers work in partnership, learners thrive and their performance is enhanced.

These learning conversations are an opportunity for teachers to get to know your child better, through you their parent or carer who knows them best.

In order to share knowledge, we begin our year with Parent/teacher learning conversations.

Students will attend school as normal on the day.

Please log on to www.schoolinterviews.com.au and use code cqsbh to book one 15 minute appointment with each of your children’s class teachers.

Parent Helpers in school and on Excursions

If you are thinking about helping in a classroom, listening to students read, assisting on an excursion or helping out at the annual athletics carnival, you must have a current Working With Children card sighted and registered at the front office. This is part of our Child Safe Policy and procedures and the safety of children and young people is of utmost importance to us.

So even if you think you may only be available to help out once, log onto the website below and apply for a WWC so that you are covered for the next 5 years.

https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/

Denise Kelly